Hrudayat Something Something review: Regressive return to Govinda brand of cinema

Hindi cinema has seen countless films about a young ‘hero’ who is basically a casanova having more than one love interest and who comes up with one tale after another whenever he is about to get caught.

Govinda was a pastmaster at this genre. For proof, just check out Coolie No 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996) or Sandwich (2006).

But these films were made and appreciated a decade ago, if not more. A lot has changed since, including audience tastes and sensibilities.

But the makers of Hrudayat Something Something have gone ahead and dug out that genre in 2018.

The film takes place in Goa and revolves around Sameer aka Sam (Aniket Vishwasrao), an executive in a travel agency. Sam is a casanova who keeps fooling young women by pretending to be in love. There comes a time when he is involved with more than a handful. When all of them come to know that they are in a relationship with the same person, they break up with Sam.

Sam’s activities compel him to take leave frequently from work, which annoys his boss (Ashok Saraf). But he keeps devising newer ways to fool his boss when he falls head over heels for the beautiful Priya (Sneha Chavan).

One day, his bluff is exposed. But after finding out that Sam is in love with a young woman, his boss becomes his love guru! The boss is unaware of what Sam has in store for him in the near future.

Hrudayat Something Something has some major flaws, but the characterization of Sam stands out. He is always on the lookout for beautiful women and loves to dance around them when they are skimpily clad. He hates plus-size and dusky women [proving to be a sexist body shamer].

Sam is in a relationship with seven or eight women simultaneously. How did so many of them fall for such a man? We don’t know, because we are never told. Women are usually shown to be too dumb in this genre, and this film makes it quite obvious.

Just when all of them ditch him at the same time, he falls for Priya. Why? Because she looks beautiful. And we are expected to root for such a protagonist!

The plot has a major, unexpected twist at the halfway mark. Although the many turns that follow are unconvincing, it provides a welcome break from the misogynistic content. In between, the narrative gives some hope of recovery, only to mess it up in the pre-climax and climax. In the second half, the plot becomes very similar to Sandwich.

Though one can’t expect logic or reasoning in such films, some events are just too mindless even for someone who has willingly suspended disbelief. For instance, Sam takes his office receptionist’s permission to take half-day leave! A gardener reveals details about his boss and his daughter casually to a complete stranger.

The lack of a single entertaining or, at least, hummable song also hurts the film. No creativity is seen even in the technical areas like the cinematography and background music.

The only saving grace in this film is Ashok Saraf’s presence and comic timing. Though you might have seen him play such humorous roles times without number, it is his act that keeps your interest alive in the film.

Coming to the rest of the cast, Aniket Vishwasrao fits the character of a womanizer. But his problematic characterization overtakes his decent comic skills. Sneha Chavan has talent, but the lack of depth of her character goes against her. Bhushan Kadu is all right as Sam’s best friend. The talented Shashank Shende appears in a forgetful cameo. Someone else has unconvincingly dubbed for him.

Overall, Hrudayat Something Something is just two decades too late.