Halla Bol

Well, to be frank, this movie has pleased me as well as disappointed me. I don't know what Raj Kumar Santoshi was thinking while writing this movie, but he has certainly forgotten a few things in the first half. The depiction of the film industry and the functioning of politics just doesn't click. Casting couches are already shown in various places, so it's stupid to show them again. Politics, power, public and money go hand-in-hand. Does anyone need to tell us this? Frankly, Santoshi has just wasted the first half.

The movie actualy starts from the scene where Ashfaq a.k.a. Sameer (Ajay Devgan) remembers his past, his street plays, his real acting, his guru- Sidhu (Pankaj Kapur). After that scene, Santoshi doesn't look back. It's clearly a mob-stirrer from there. If you are not awakened after watching such scenes, then you are not a human. You are just a dead body, a money-earning machine.

The story goes like this: Sameer Khan a.k.a. Ashfaqullah Khan ( Ajay) is a small-town-actor-turned-top-rated-action-hero. He attends a party, where he sees a murder being commited (Resemblence to Jessica Lall murder case is very intentional ). He first stays quite as he does not want to tarnish the name he has earnt after struggling so much. It's very true. If you have earned something by working hard and toiling day and night for it, you wouldn't to lose it in a jiffy. But, after realising his duty as a public figure and some very powerful speech by Sidhu( Pankaj Kapur), he jumps into the arena against a politician and a liquir baron, whose sons have commited the crime. At first, he loses the case as an insider from the police is helping the criminals. But then, after help from Sidhu, he stages a street play and awakens the masses. What follows is sensation. Fight sequences, dialogues, drama and what not. Truly a film which deserves a National Award.

Pankaj Kapur essays one of the finest written roles in history. His dialogues are hard-hitting and his presence, very inspiring. " Agar khud ke badan pe chot lage to jaanvar bhi chillata hai, insaan woh hai jo doosron ke kaam aaye" is a line which has truly inspired me. Ajay Devgan essays his role perfectly. His performance in the second half reminds me of Sunny Deol's performance in Ghayal (another Santoshi film, a bench-mark for Hindi Cinema). Vidya Balan makes her presence felt in the film. She's got just one powerful dialogue, " He's (Ashfaq) got balls. He's got courage. Woh ek aisi ladki ki ladai lad raha hai jise woh jaanta tak nahi..."

The script makes scathing remarks on the Khans- Aamir, Salman and Shahrukh. But that's called 'Creative Freedom' something for which SRK is rallying now-a-days. Santoshi does an awe-some job in the second half, but disappoints in the first half. But whatever happens, please do continue making such movies, Santoshi sir.

And now the most important thing........

I LOVE YOU, VIDYA BALAN....