By Goher Iqbal Punn, Film Critic & Entertainment Analyst, Showbiz Bites
Producer: Red Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan)
Director: Farah Khan
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Abhishek Bachchan and Vivaan Shah
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Rating: 
(4.5 / 5)
Well, at last the much-awaited movie of the year eventually comes up with loads of expectations to work high rather very high at the box office. Yes, it seems so that the movie is potentially a great visual content to watch on silver screen. Farah Khan has directed this flick – this is Farah’s third directorial venture with Shah Rukh Khan and so far her outings with King Khan have been blockbusters. She made her directorial debut with Main Hoon Na (more than a decade back). The movie turned out to be a blockbuster and then she ventured into directing another film with Khan titled Om Shanti Om that too went on getting the label of blockbuster. Now let’s see what happens with Happy New Year. The team of HNY seems pretty much sure for the blockbuster success of the film. So does everyone.
The multi-starrer Happy New Year has a runtime of almost 3 hours, which seems a bit stretched. But no matter when the content is lively and watchable. Farah has made the flick as a true visual treat for the Hindi moviegoers. She has now an utter understanding of what a Hindi cinemagoer wants to watch on big screen. Considering the facts, she has made HNY as a true masala entertainer for the viewers to enjoy with. How much does it provide pleasure is what should be analyzed now? Let’s check it out.
The movie unzips with a world dance competition finale. Chandramohan Manohar aka Charlie (Shah Rukh Khan) leads Team India. He is on a mission to take revenge of his father Manohar (Anupam Kher) who is in prison for last 12 years because of Charan Grover (Jackie Shroff) who conned him. Charlie’s mission is to steal Rs. 300 crore worth diamonds from Charan lying in Dubai. Charlie and his team are set to steal these diamonds. His team includes a partially deaf Jagmohan Prasad aka Jaggu (Sonu Sood) – an ex-army member, Tammy Irani (Boman Irani) who can open the lockers, Rohan Singh (Vivaan Shah) who can hack, Nandu Bhide (Abhishek Bachchan) and Mohini (Deepika Padukone) who is a bar dancer. Charan is to put the diamonds for display at Atlantis Hotel in Dubai for one day where the dance competition goes on. The team is to take place in the dance competition being non-dancers. Now the rest of the story revolves around what happens with them at the dance competition and what they do to steal the diamonds.
Frankly and honestly, there is nothing novel in the story at all. These kinds of movies have been made numerous times in Bollywood’s history. But what makes the movie to look lavish, glossy and workable is the brilliant execution, bravura performances and chartbuster music apart from other good works in other departments.
Story, as mentioned above, is not novel and the credits go to Mayur Puri, Althea Delmas Kaushal and Farah Khan. Had they put more innovations into the story, it would have shown more brilliant results. Anyway, the outcome is better and this is what the makers want. Mayur Puri also writes the screenplay, which is no doubt well-written since you find hardly any flaws in it. Farah Khan is the captain of the ship and she does true brilliance to her job as a director. Her execution is so lavish, lustrous and gripping that one can hardly take the eyes off the screen. Right from the word ‘go’, you cannot detach yourself from the screen and this is called the magic of the brilliant direction. Music by Vishal-Shekhar is pleasing and foot-tapping. Editing is fine. Cinematography by Manush Nandan is simply awesome. Action is superlative. Dialogues by Mayur Puri are catchy and gripping. Farah Khan and Geeta Kapoor’s choreography is eye-catchy and fabulous. Background score works great.
As for the performances, the leading man Shah Rukh Khan once again shows his power of being the King Khan of Bollywood industry. He emerges with eight pack abs this time around to impress his viewers and fans. And he does it with super brilliance. He steals the hearts for his brawny acting prowess. Deepika Padukone is undoubtedly a bankable actress and she has proved the same with her last few flicks. She is a brilliant actress on Bollywood front these days and in HNY she again reveals the same. She has come up with another quirky character after the blockbuster Chennai Express. Boman Irani is as usual a great performer. Abhishek Bachchan is smart in his role. Vivaan Shah is a treat to watch. Anupam Kher is fine in a brief role. Jackie Shroff looks nice in a villainous role. There are many guest appearances in this film as well such as Sajid Khan, Malaika Arora Khan, Prabu Deva, Sarah Jane Dias, Anurag Kashyup, Vishal Dadlani and Dino Morea.
Final Verdict:
Happy New Year is a BLOCKBUSTER in every sense of the word. Nothing can stop it to create records at the box office. Wait to see it happen.
Also read Happy New Year opens bombastically, Happy New Year advance booking report with analysis, Happy New Year box office prediction with analysis and Happy New Year Movie Stills. There are other enjoyable posts also such as Sonakshi Sinha cleavage show (pictures) and Kareena Kapoor’s hot cleavage photos.
