Hero: Movie Review by Prashen H. Kyawal

Launch of a star kid is always big affair in Bollywood. All the industry big wigs talk good about the debuting actors. The PR mill works overtime to “create” a buzz for the new faces. Not everyone gets such launchpad and it is a privilege reserved only for the star kids.

This week’s release, “Hero” is a such a glittering launch tailer-made to make sure Sooraj Pancholi (Son of Aditya Pancholi) and Athiya Shetty (Daughter of Suniel Shetty) is presented with all the razzmatazz before the audience. Industry’s golden hand “Salman Khan” has his hand on these kids and he left no stone unturned in the marketing of this movie including singing a promotional song which created the required buzz. But what about the movie? How is it?

Nikhil Advani who has a mixed track record as a Director/Writer took on the mantle of mentoring the newcomers. Salman chose to remake the 1983 Jackie Shroff starer “Hero” which was a mega hit given by “Showman” at that time, Subhash Ghai.

The story is about a rough young, man Sooraj (Sooraj Pancholi) kidnapping daughter of IG police, Radha (Athiya Shetty) on the directions of his Godfather uncle Baba (Aditya Pancholi) who is under arrest by the IG (Tigmanshu Dhulia). Sooraj presents himself as a police officer sent by the IG to protect Radha and kidnaps her under that pretence. But they both fall in love and Sooraj decides to move out of his criminal activities and surrender to police. What happens after he comes out of his imprisonment forms the story of the movie.

The original story is written by Subhash Ghai and new screenplay is by Nikhil Advani and Umesh Bist. The story and characterisation was a novelty in that decade but now much waters is flown below the pool and it doesn’t seem relatable as it is. The writers have not tried to give it a new flavour to make it relevant for todays time. The events look naive and unbelievable. The film fails badly at the writing department. Dialogues by Umesh Bist are also not very memorable.

Director Nikhil Advani has few good scenes to shine. Where-ever there is heightened tension between good actors, those scenes have come up good. But the scene where Tigmanshu Dhulia threatens Aditya Pancholi feels a bit stretched and loses the menacing effect. He does make the film look grande and big and that is the only plus point of the movie.

Performance wise Sooraj and Athiya fails to make an impact. Sooraj is another addition to the wood-faced beefed up body (non)actors. The larger than life portrayal does not suit him nor the writing gives us any reason to believe that. He’s good in dance and action. Athiya is a bit better than him and may grow in future. Her body language seems stiff. Needs to be loosened up.

Others do act well but they are let down by the unconvincing writing. Tigmanshu Dhulia should change his look as per the demand of the character. Only changing costume won’t help. He looks like misfit for the role. Aditya Pancholi does look menacing and has the required screen presence. And he does look handsome than his son and acts better too. All other supporting cast is good.

The movie’s saving grace is its production value, everything is grand an shiny and that makes the newcomers unconvincing. Production Design by Subrata Chakraborthy and Amit Ray is excellent. Cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray is superb.

Another plus is the music by Amaal Mallik. “Mai hun hero tera” is melodious and hummable. “Dance ke legend” is foot tapping and choreographed well by Ahmed Khan. Other songs are good too.

Overall, this movie is a big budget show reel of these star kids where story telling and other requisites for good cinema or entertainment does not matter. But I am not sure if this show reel is good enough for anyone to get more work (unless bhai continues to bless them).

Rating:

(Only for production Quality and Music)

Recommendation: Even after stressing too much, I can not find any reason to recommend this movie for anything unless you are too much of a Sallubhai fan and want to see him on big screen crooning “Mai hun hero tera” in the end titles. Otherwise, SKIP.