The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : A far cry from the original Film Reviews

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Saturday, Oct 11, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

A far cry from the original Film Reviews

Saving grace: A still from ‘Hello’

Film: Hello

Cast: Gul Panag, Eesha Koppikar, Sharman Joshi

Direction: Atul Agnihotri

It was long due. Hindi cinema could not have ignored life in a BPO any longer. Director Atul Agnihotri found an able ally in the form of novelist Chetan Bhagat on whose bestseller “One Night@ The Call Center”, the film is based. Still Atul has given us a film that engages us for moments, touches us in a flash, but leaves us disappointed in the end. He has had the advantage of the first mover, in a world where action begins at midnight! Where Ridhima becomes Reb ecca and at times morality becomes as elastic as a Russian gymnast. Everybody is living an American dream which could be right-sized any moment. Alas! Atul frittered away the advantage. Chetan has managed to hold on to the punch in Hindi for a large part of the film. But there is something lost in translation. And that something is the soul of the story. The culprit is Atul, who has not been able to carve his characters and ambience with a dash of reality. The way in which the crucial ‘God scene’ was handled is just too filmy. So is the comment on youth icons. The six protagonists in a swanky room don’t give the touch and feel of a call centre, which Chetan managed to create through words.

Atul seems to have forgotten that there is a thin but distinct line between a character and a caricature. And some of Atul’s crucial players fall into the latter category. Result, you don’t indentify with his protagonists, even if you have fallen for the narrative, where a dedicated bahu rushes for the night shift after managing her mother-in-law. Atul’s choice of actors hasn’t helped his cause. You don’t expect Eesha Koppikar and Amrita Arora to essay a layered character. Gul Panag, is still passable. The saving grace is Sharman Joshi who has played Shyam with amazing spontaneity and conviction. His rib -tickling chemistry with Sohail Khanis worth a watch. Sohail rarely gets a well-etched out character. So, here he has given it all. But then Sharman and Sohail can’t sell more than a dozen tickets at the box office on their own. Go for it, if cinema is a pastime for you, otherwise don’t take this call.

ANUJ KUMAR

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