Cast – Shiv Darshan, Natasha Fernandez, Upen Patel
- Story and Direction by – Suneel Darshan
- Produced by – Suneel Darshan
- Written by – Kushal Bakshi, Uddeept Gaur
- Screenplay by – Suneel Darshan, Akash Deep
- Music by – Nadeem Saifi
- Cinematography – Amarjeet Singh
- Edited by – Archit Rastogi
- Production House – Shri Krishna International
- Duration – 1 hour 45 minutes
- Genre – Romance, Drama
- Censor Rating – U/A
What’s the first thing you remember when you hear the title of this film – “Ek Haseena Thi, EK Deewana Tha”? It has to be the massively popular song from Subhash Ghai’s magnum opus – Karz (1980). The mark of a great director, a well-made film is its recall value even after about 40 years of its release. Sadly Suneel Darshan’s comeback flick could not have been further from the ‘80s cult hit.
Plot
Beautiful Natasha (Natasha Fernandez) is a wealthy heiress and is on her way to her ancestral property, Mt. Unique Estate, with her fiancé Sunny (Upen Patel) to have the wedding of her dreams. She, however, falls head-over-heels in love with the stud farm keeper Devdhar(Shiv Dhawan). It is here that the film’s plot melts into a hotchpotch of paranormal revenge and divine intervention, unrequited love and mile long conversations – all quite well designed to test the patience of the audience.
Performances
There is very little to say about the performances. Let’s start with the director himself. Did he pull a Rip Van Winkle and wake after about 20 years to make a film? At least that is what it looks like.
Both Shiv Darshan and Upen Patel must do some serious introspection before signing up for another film. Two pertinent questions must be asked –
1. Do I need acting lessons?
2. Is this going to doom my dying career?
Natasha Fernandez looks beautiful but is wasted as the damsel in distress.
Music Review
Apart from the director and actors, making a comeback with Ek Haseena… is composer Nadeem of Nadeem-Shravan fame. The duo ruled the roost in Bollywood way back in the 1990s. Problem is, this is not the 90s. The songs are indeed free flowing and soft on the ear but none of them, with the exception of perhaps, Hue Bechain, register an impact. Singers Palak Muchhal and Yaseer Desai have shown great consistency and promise, though. The music of Ek Haseena Thi, Ek Deewana Tha is at best average far.
Soundtracks –
Hanste Hanste
- Duration – 3:05
Nain
- Duration – 3:48
Tum Kahan The
- Duration – 4:58
Aankhon Mein Aansoon
- Duration – 3:48
Hue Bechain
- Duration – 3:45
What’s Good, What’s Bad?
Ek Haseena Thi, Ek Deewana Tha has very little that we can list as ‘Good’. But let us try. Shot extensively in the United Kingdom, the film features breathtakingly stunning scenes shot in Cornwall, Cardiff, Dartmouth, and Manchester. Amarjeet Singh found all the beautiful landscapes he could find and he made the best of the opportunity. Apart from this, the musical offering is one that is likely to be greatly appreciated by ’90s Bollywood enthusiasts. It is here that we run out of good things to say.
A poor plot, a confused track alternating between grim ghosts and treacherous plots – neither of which prompts the audience to stay awake – is the film’s greatest weakness. Nothing, nothing at all, in the movie keeps the audience from walking out.
Our Verdict
Ek Haseena Thi, EK Deewana Tha was an attempt to breathe life back into the dying careers of Suneel Darshan, Shiv Darshan, Upen Patel, and Nadeem Saifi. It was an attempt, but also a spectacular failure. Music director Nadeem may have managed to produce sweet numbers but it is the entire ‘90s feel of the movie and the music that lets it down. Make no mistake, the ‘90s had some great on-screen romance, songs that we thought would live forever, robust heroes and sizzling on-screen chemistry. This film lacks all of that. It merely reminds us of the numerous reasons we chose to outgrow the era. Even the dialogues are trite to the extent of being corny. “Tumhari judaai mujhe jeene nahi degi aur tumhara intezaar mujhe marne nahi dega” – need we say more?
Save your dough, take a snooze, watch the GST drama unfold. Whatever you do, do not spend your money and time on Suneel Darshan’s Ek Haseena Thi, EK Deewana Tha
Rating – 1 ½ *
