Himmatwala (2013) Movie Review

By Goher Iqbal Punn, Film Critic & Entertainment Analyst, Showbiz Bites

Ajay-Tamannaah-HimmatwalaMovie-Showbizbites

Producer: Vashu Bhagnani & UTV Motion Pictures

Director: Sajid Khan

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tamannaah Bhatia, Paresh Rawal and Zarina Wahab

Music: Sajid-Wajid

Rating: 1/5 * (One Star)

Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala, which was much in talks and being awaited hugely by the moviegoers, finally hits the screens today. The film is the remake of 1983’s superhit film of the same title that starred Jateendra and Sri Devi in main lead. Sajid’s Himmatwala (2013) features Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah in main roles. Remakes are the current fashion in Hindi film industry.

Well, they are getting popular and producing success at the box office and this is the reason the trend has been getting strength in Bollywood industry. Now the question is whether Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala creates the magic and would be a hit as he is sure about? Let’s review the movie to get the answer.

1983’s Himmatwala too was the remake of a Telugu film and it was the film that made the Sri Devi an overnight big star in Hindi cinema industry. Post the success of this flick, Sri Devi turned out to be the big leading actress of Hindi film industry.

Sajid Khan injected every spice to make his outing a delicious entertainer. His flick has been made with one thing in mind – entertainment, entertainment and entertainment. But in the making, he forgot to inject the novelty in the film. When the remakes are attempted, they are made with utter care since the audiences watch them with magnifying glasses. Guess, this is what Sajid forgot altogether. There is hardly any difference in Sajid’s Himmatwala of 2013 and K. Raghavendra Rao’s Himmatwala of 1983. Admit, he has modified few portions in the narrative and added some new episodes into the script, but the overall subject and taste of the movie are the similar to 83’s flick.

In present day Himmatwala, you get the same taste in all portions of the movie which one watched in 83’s movie – from action, to stars’ styling to dialogues to dances to each and everything. Khan does not make any effort to make his flick somewhat novel as per the taste of today’s viewers. This is the biggest weakness of the script, execution and the overall film’s essence. You can term it in a short phrase as ‘old wine packaged in a new bottle’ rather this too cannot fit on the idiom because the packaging too seems to be old. No effort has been used to make the film novel.

Ajay Devgn’s entry into the film too walks on the old lines. You watch the film, you get the answers that nothing has been changed – hero and villain’s conflicts, Ajay and his mother’s interaction, Ajay’s rapport with his sister, his romance with his leady lady, village’s scenario and everything reminds you of Jateendra’ Himmatwala. At least, Sajid Khan should have done some home work before attempting and making the remake of the 83’s successful film.

ajay-himmatwala-showbizbitesThe film talks about Ravi (Ajay Devgn) who returns to his village for settling the scores with the Sarpanch (Mahesh Manrekar) who had wrongly accused Ravi’s father (Anil Dhawan) of robbery and this led Ravi’s father to commit suicide.

It is the time and tested formula of good versus bad with the right amount of the dose of entertainment to tickle the viewers’ funny bone. Unfortunately Sajid could not succeed in hooking up the viewers this time around. He is the man who makes blockbusters and endows the viewers with 100 crore business films. But with Himmatwala, the hopes and expectations of 100 crore business are very dim and dull.

Script is a big weakness, as the flaws have been mentioned above, penned by Sajid Khan and Farhad. The film lacks in drama, action and even romance quotient also. Direction is not powerful to get the viewer glued to the screen. Cinematography is first rate. Editing seems nice as well. Music is soul-raising. Two tracks have been used as same – Naino Mein Sapna and Taki Taki and both have been doing well among the listeners. Sajid-Wajid’s composition works big time. Action is simply poor.

Ajay Devgn enacts the role with class and he impresses with his acting skills. Tamannaah looks much pretty on screen but she hardly delivers the acting prowess to impress the Hindi audiences. Paresh Rawal is really impressive. Zarina Wahab is nice. Rest of the cast is just about okay.

Final Verdict:

In a capsule, Himmatwala disappoints completely. The film lacks in all portions and there is nothing novel for the viewers in the movie. Better to skip. One Star Only.

In order to get box office business report of the film’s domestic and worldwide, you can read our regularly updated Himmatwala box office collections report. Also read Himmatwala opening day collections report.

Himmatwala Movie Details (Prior to Release):

Himmatwala movie release date is 29th March, 2013. Yes, the film is slated for tomorrow’s release all over India and abroad. The film stars the likes of Ajay Devgn, Tamannaah Bhatia, Paresh Rawal and Zarina Wahab in main roles. The film is the remake of the 80s classic with the same title starring Jateendra and Sri Devi in pivotal roles. The film has been making big waves in the industry, among the masses and in entertainment circles since the day it went on floors. The man behind the creation, Sajid Khan, has been leaving no stones unturned for the promotions of the movie. Himmatwala movie review will be published at this place by tomorrow morning once the movie is out in theaters. Ajay Devgn’s much in talks Himmatwala’s music has been on way to grab the top positions at the charts. The songs like Naino Mein Sapna and Taki Taki are well-received by the listeners and the movie buffs.

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Storyline:

Himmatwala talks about a honest temple priest who witnesses a murder happening in front of his eyes done by the village’s landlord. He reaches to the court to give evidence against that powerful landlord. The landlord then bribes and gets the freedom, but then schemes a plot against the priest to spoil his life utterly. He makes priest’s reputation and status in the village spoiled through his evil schemes. The ashamed priest with tarnished reputation in the village commits suicide leaving his wife and the kids to face the violence of the landlord. Priest’s son leaves the village and lands into Mumbai to make his life. Years later he returns to village to settle the scores with landlord.

Tidbits:

As per reports, Sajid Khan was initially interested in fetching in Katrina Kaif for the female lead. Later he changed mind to Anushka Sharma but finally landed onto the southern beauty and top notch actress of the south film industry Tamannaah.

Naino Mein Sapna and Taki Taki are the tracks which have been used with same lyrics from the original songs. But they have been refurbished with new singers and new compositions.

Ajay, Zareena Wahab & Leena-Himmatwala-showbizbites

Himmatwala box office collections will be much in demands, as the film has already been well in talks and is being awaited hugely by the filmgoers. Since film’s stars’ rating is what the moviegoers are crazy for always, Himmatwala movie rating will surely be the focus of the cinegoers.

Let’s read Himmatwala review at this place on 29th March and you will also be offered to read Himmatwala box office collections report at this space post the release. In the meanwhile, you can read Himmatwala movie details article and also you may like reading Himmatwala music review.

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About Goher Iqbal Punn

Goher Iqbal Punn is a famed Hindi Film Critic, Hindi Music Reviewer, Entertainment Columnist and Bollywood Analyst. His creative and analytical writings are well-received and liked. Mr. Punn is a film trade expert as well and his Box Office Reports are always loved to read and appreciated. His other expertise includes analyzing the small screen of India (Indian television soaps & its celebrities). He has worked with the media giants like BBC (London), Screen (Indian Express, Delhi/Mumbai), Bollywood Hungama (Mumbai), Indiainfo (Mumbai/Bangalore) Daily Times (Lahore) and The Post (Lahore) respectively. In addition to these big wheels of the media industry, Mr. Punn has also been associated with plenty of other coveted online entertainment publications such as Nowrunning (New York), Galmsham (Mumbai), Radio Sargam (Leeds), One India (Bangalore/Mumbai), Bollygraph (Katmandu), Sulekha (Aston), Planet Bollywood (New York) and to name a few. Goher also shares a good rapport with Bollywood and Indian television fraternities. He is often approached for his expert views on Hindi cinema and its celebrities. Media tycoons like The Times (Sunday Times, London), The Christian Science Monitor (Boston), Newsweek of USA and to name a few have interviewed him. Goher also helps the students researching on Bollywood, the most notable being the one he did with a student of Spanish University. Mr. Punn is the most experienced writer with more than 25 years of journalistic experience to his credit. He is contactable at goher.punn@gmail.com Read Goher Iqbal Punn’s write-ups for Showbiz Bites by visiting this link https://www.showbizbites.com/author/goheriqbalpunn/