If a project doesn’t have anything fresh to offer in terms of storyline or concept then the only thing that can work is an outstanding execution forcing the viewers to forget about the clichés and just enjoy all similar ‘seen before’ sequences in a different or novel manner.
Unfortunately the above cannot be said about this week’s HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI as the film doesn’t turn out to be any great laugh riot or a fine entertainer revolving around a familiar ‘border-crossing’ subject that was recently seen in FILMISTAN (2014), WELCOME TO KARACHI (2015) and SARABJIT (2016) too (though based on a sad, tragic real life account of a poor victim).
Coming straight to the point, HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI isn’t any badly made or unbearable movie to be honest. But it isn’t any highly entertaining or a great laugh riot either, contrary to the impression created by its wisely cut trailers featuring the most enjoyable scenes.
Giving the director his deserving due, this is certainly a much better attempt by Mudassar Aziz in comparison to his DULHA MIL GAYA released in 2010. Mudassar purposefully keeps it light and bright without including any drama or heavy emotional moments. But that is exactly the reason why every relationship seems to be so superficial and unconvincing on screen without any emotional depth. On the other hand he does score some positive points by not allowing any jingoism or unnecessary political comments in its various sequences happening in Pakistan.
Produced by Anand L. Rai, the film has some big similarities with the characters seen in his TANU WEDS MANU that might be unintentional. But revolving around a runaway bride, a few sequences strongly remind you of films such as JAB WE MET (its over talkative Punjabi girl Geet), SHUDDH DESI ROMANCE (its opening moments) and more.
Beginning on an impressive note with kids playing cricket in the locality, a Punjabi family celebrating their pre-marriage function introducing the would-be couple and the bride running away shocking them all, HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI actually works fines as a decent, average entertainer till intermission mainly due to some well written dialogues & sincere performances bringing in the timely smiles.
However the way writer-director tries to make you laugh with all casual, forced sequences in the second half frankly derails the fine progression unexpectedly and the film turns into a routine, repetitive fair ruining a potential base. As a result all you get to see in the second half are the usual mad chases, a silly kidnapping, everyone crossing the border without any hassles, unrequired complications and a laughable presentation of police and politicians in Pakistan treating them as some silly comedians.
For instance, a supposedly funny sequence over the tea (post intermission) clearly reveals the difference between a naturally conceived comic scene and a forcibly created artificial one by the writer. Further a Hindu marriage sequence involving a disguised Pandit in a big political event organized by a known Pakistani politician in Pakistan itself comes as an amazingly laughable insertion before the obvious climax.
Surprisingly in a film titled HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI, Happy actually vanishes for a good amount of time in the middle with the focus shifting to all other characters. And that was really strange to notice since the story was supposed to be of Happy and not of Abhay Deol or others to be precise. In the technical department both the cinematography and the background score try hard but are not able to lift up the film due to a completely unexciting second half. Using the short versions of its few songs playing in the backdrop, the director doesn’t let them hamper the pace. But there still isn’t any great track that forces you to search for the song or look for its complete original soundtrack online.
Playing the lead role Diana Penty returns to the screen after a gap of four years post COCKTAIL (2012), but her act isn’t anything superior than what we had earlier seen in her first film. No doubt she tries her best as the free spirited chatterbox Punjabi girl, yet the faulty accent and a confused focused of the script doesn’t let her outshine her previous performance to be honest. On the cost of being harsh, though she looks great on screen in both western and Indian attires having an adorable smile, but that magnetic charm still isn’t there that can justify three men falling for her in India as well as in Pakistan.
Both Abhay Deol and Ali Fazal perform their given roles with a natural ease and the same can be said about the Pakistani debutant Momal Sheikh along with the veteran Jawed Sheikh. However Kanwaljeet is just okay playing the ‘not-so-disturbed’ father of a young runaway bride who has somehow reached Lahore. In other words, the two actors who actually contribute the most are Jimmy Sheirgill and Piyush Mishra offering some fine enjoyable moments in their individual scenes. Interestingly where I felt sorry to see Jimmy yet again playing a character who always loses the girl in the end with a painful smile, it was great to see Piyush’s fabulous portrayal of a Pakistani cop with a fine diction of Urdu language and an impressive comic timing (though the multi-talented actor always performs remaining so close to the thin line of overdoing it.)
Overall with a much better first half, HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI strictly remains an average, feel good rom-com made on a repetitive, predictable plot that is certainly going to be more enjoyable if seen on a TV channel without spending a heavy amount on the tickets making some extra effort to go and visit the multiplexes.
Rating : 2.5 / 5
