Film: Happy Bhag Jayegi (U)
Rating: 3/5
Though the trailer was promising and Happy Bhag Jayegi had the charm of Aanand L Rai backing it, I was sceptical if director Muddasar Aziz (who previously made the dud Dulha Mil Gaya) would be able to deliver the goods. But my apprehensions were laid to rest within the first 10 minutes.
The story of Amritsar's runaway bride Harpreet Kaur aka Happy (Diana Penty), whose plan to unite with college sweetheart Guddu (Ali Fazal) goes haywire as she ends up at the house of a politician's son Bilal in Lahore, Pakistan, by mistake is hilarious from the outset.
Her groom, Daman Singh Bagga (Jimmy Shergill), is furious and wants to find her and marry her. Her father (Kanwaljeet Singh) wants to kill her for ruining the reputation of the family.
The rest of the story revolves around Bilal attempting to unite her with her lover and Bagga trying to pin her down.
The confusions along the way make for fun plot points and create an easy-flowing humour. The songs should have been trimmed for better effect overall.
The film is no doubt entertaining, but some characters fail to rise above mediocrity. Happy's character does not flourish after the interval as the story veers towards Bilal and his fiance Zoya, played very stiffly by Pakistani actress Momal Sheikh. But Penty does a decent job of whatever she is handed. She plays a fiery girl without being loud or over the top.
While Abhay Deol and Ali Fazal try really hard to perfect their characters and comic timing, and the effort is visible, Shergill slips into his powerful but naive corporator in search of a big political break and is fabulous.
Also, a round of applause for Piyush Mishra, who plays a Pakistani police officer who loves his country and Urdu but is caught in unforeseeable situations. The portions where he recites Urdu while on his trip to India are just brilliantly written and enacted.
Happy Bhag Jayegi is a clean situational comedy in the zone of Tanu Weds Manu, which does not resort to cheap humour to incite laughter.
If you were disappointed with Mohenjo Daro and Rustom last week, this movie is just the right balm to soothe your wounds. It is a blessing for director Aziz, and should surely open new doors for him.
The laughs, though intermittent, are enough to keep you hooked. Happy Bhag Jayegi will make you happy. While it fails to take the laughter metre to the levels of Chupke Chupke, Gol Maal or Hera Pheri (wish it had), the attempt is there and it is good. Sequel, anybody?
Writer and director: Mudassar Aziz
Producers: Aanand L Rai and Krishna Lulla
Cast: Diana Penty, Abhay Deol, Jimmy Shergill, Ali Fazal, Piyush Mishra
Runtime: 126 minutes