There are good films and
there are bad films. And then there are some films that are so unbelievably bad
that you feel like shouting - why did they make this film!!? Hamari Adhuri
Kahani, the latest melodramatic overdose from the Bhatt camp, is so regressive,
unbelievable, over-the-top and nauseating that you stop expecting anything
within half an hour into the film. Mohit Suri, the film's director, has a
reasonable track record with good little films like Kalyug, Awarapan and Woh
Lamhe under his belt. In fact, Suri has also been at the helm of affairs for
three consecutive blockbusters for the Bhatt Camp in the recent past
- Ek Villain, Aashiqui 2 and Murder 2.
Apart
from a credible director, the film boasts of three fine actors in form of Vidya
Balan, Emraan Hashmi and Rajkumar Rao, but the end product is so mediocre,
pointless and boring that even you, as regular moviegoer, would like to hang
your head in shame. Hamari Adhuri Kahani's biggest lacuna is its kahani
itself. Mahesh Bhatt and Shagufta Rafiq's story is so contrived,
half-baked and dipped with horrendous dialogues that it can make 80s cinema
look like sparking pieces of art. In fact, some of the dialogues are so cheesy
and loaded that you silently giggle in your mind and think how they would
become a rage once the dubsmash milieu laps them up!
Both
Emraan and Vidya mouth some of the worst written lines that one can remember in
recent times, but the cherry on the top is saved for Emraan's mother who looks
at Vidya and asks his son, "Kaun Hai Ye Banjaran?" Not just that, she
even goes on to lecture her on how its time she stopped being 'Sita' and became
'Radha'! Phew! Such rhetorical verbal stone pelting may have been 'cool' in the
80s but is definitely out-of-date and bogus for current times. It is annoying
when none of the characters in the film talk to each other in simple words.
They are all perennially grim, look heavily constipated and thrash each other
with verbal and metaphorical bricks. There is a constant and disturbing imagery
of flowers and a VFX-enabled climax in a "valley of flowers" near
Bastar (I am sure no place like that excists near Bastar) that looks so odd
that it makes special effects of Mallika Sherawat's Hisss look pretty cool.
For
those of you who are still interested in the film's story and plot - Vidya
Balan plays Vasudha Prasad, a young mother of a 5-year, old whose husband Hari,
played by Rajkumar Rao, leaves her an year after the marriage. We are told that
Hari is a really bad guy because he has forced Vasudha to get his name tattooed
on her arm, and constantly evokes their saat janam ka rishta, sanskaar and
peedhiyon se chali aa rahi sanskriti. Vidya, on the other hand, is the lady in
distress who always clutches at her mangalsutra as if it were a trophy, but
eventually is serenaded by Aarav, played by Emraan Hashmi, the billionaire
hotelier who has his own sad past.
It's
tough to digest how the film's writers reinforce regressive mindset and beliefs
by investing too much in symbolism of a mangalsuktra, pati parmeshwar, sanskaar
and then foolishly try to fake feminism towards the climax with an artificial
Durga imagery. The principal characters in the film are mere caricatures and
lack soul, motive and purpose. You never really take up to Vidya's tears or
understand Emraan's fetish fatale with her. Strangely, you do not even hate
Rajkumar Rao's character and pity him for landing up a role that lacks layering
and conviction.
From
Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani in 2012 to Mohit Suri's Hamari Adhuri Kahani in 2015,
life seems to have come full circle for a certain Vidya Balan. Be it the
traditional yet poignant Lalita in Parineeta (2005), the chirpy RJ Jhanvi of
Lagey Raho Munnabhai (2006), the hysterical but effective Avni of Bhool
Bhulaiyaa (2007), the shrewd Krishna of Ishqiya (2010), the spirited and
seductress Silk in The Dirty Picture (2011) or the feisty Vidya of Kahaani
(2012) - Vidya Balan has given us some of the most memorable female characters
in recent times. With Hamari Adhuri Kahani, Balan nosedives to a new low in her
career, so much so, that it not just hurts but even shocks you to believe that
she gave her consent for a film as regressive, ridiculous and nauseating as
this. Emraan Hashmi looks disinterested and the film does little justice to his
acting potential or even his kissing caliber! Rajkumar Rao is wasted
magnificently and it is painful to see an actor as brilliant as him to do a
poorly written role as this. The film's support cast borders on being
incompetent with the actor playing Emraan Hashmi's mother looking naive in her
dialogue delivery and younger than Vidya Balan even with those fake grey
strands.
The
film's music does not live up to the melodious reputation of the Bhatt
camp. Except for "Humnava" none of the songs have that repeat value
or a humming quality that sticks on to you. The film's cinematography (Vishnu
Rao) is below par, so is the background score that uselessly tries to build up
tempo in this lethargic, boring film.
Overall,
Hamari Adhuri Kahani will easily qualify as one of the biggest letdowns of
recent times; specially for Vidya Balan who has wowed us with stellar
performances in the past. This is one film that you can definitely miss and
thank this reviewer for saving you your hard-earned money.
Rating:
* (Poor)
