Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Padmini Kolhapure
Directed by: Rajkumar Santoshi
Music: Pritam
Years ago when Naseeruddin Shah popularized the dialogue “Phata Poster Nikhla Hero” he wouldn’t have imagined that it could be used as a film title. After his last release Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani, Rajkumar Santoshi brings to us yet another romantic comedy that was supposed to be a turning point in Shahid Kapoor’s career. But unfortunately, it couldn’t deliver what was much expected. Phata Poster Nikhla Hero is nothing but a sequence of clichéd Bollywood drama peppered with hints of comedy.
Plot: A small town hard-working mother wants her son to become a Police officer while the son is bitten by the filmi keeda and aspires to be a superstar. When Mumbai calls, instead of going for the police training he decides to pursue his dream. Soon he is trapped under serendipitous events and is mistaken to be a real cop. The constant juggle between the acting and his real life changes everything for him.
Performances: Ever since his debut with Ishq Vishk, Shahid Kapoor has been trying hard to establish his acting career. Unfortunately, despite being a talented actor his luck hasn’t favoured him much at the box-office. Shahid has indeed invested a lot of effort in this one. The vivid portrayal of emotions and the smashing dance moves are totally worth watching. He is the only hope in the movie.
Ileana D’Cruz looks absolutely gorgeous and fresh but that is not enough to add life to a movie. The same confident lady, who impressed everyone with her performance in Barfi, loses her talent here. She is visibly fake with bad comic timing.
Padmini Kolhapure is brilliant as a melodramatic mother and has done her part well.
Music: Thanks to Pritam, the soundtrack of Phata Poster Nikhla Hero has some melodious and peppy numbers to watch out for. “Main Rang Sharbaton ka” by Atif Aslam and “Agal Bagal” by Mika are two hot favourites doing well at the music charts.
What’s good: It is a good watch that can be seen with the children. Some of the comic elements are genuinely hilarious. The music is peppy and entertaining. Shahid’s funny scenes will keep you laughing.
What’s bad: The script lacks innovation and has excessive melodrama. Ileana is too plastic to handle. The second half ruins everything. The climax is disastrous.
Phata Poster Nikhla Hero tends to remind you of Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani at some point. It is hard to believe that the same man who once delivered the epic “Andaz Apna Apna”, could not do justice to this one. Overall, the film doesn’t have much to offer apart from the first half that is entertaining and hilarious. It is old fashioned but not too bad to watch.
Verdict: Watch Phata Poster Nikhla Hero if you want a quick outing with your kids.
Rating: **
