Himmatwala Review: Script Analysis
I don’t think anyone except Sajid Khan could have found the script of Himmatwala interesting. Most ordinarily placed, the film is a merely blown up, melodramatically written revenge tale with not an ounce of intelligence in it. Sajid Khan goes a step forward to severe an already botched up over the top, nonsense script! Tailoring it to suit his whims, many crucial characters are unduly omitted while unimpressively few needless ones were added. If this is mainstream Bollywood, many of us would be thankful we weren’t sensible enough to understand the 80s’ genre of cinema as kids!
In the film, perhaps the most notable moment was Ajay’s fight sequence with the tiger that leapt out straight from the sets of Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. The script pointlessly wavers without any strong substance weaving out long standing animosities and romance in the most clichéd way possible. That precisely is the point, the film works on clichés and if entertainment means that to you, you can have your pick and wallow in the dreadful pool of crass.
Himmatwala Review: Star Performances
Personally, the film made me miss the intense and passionate actor Ajay Devgn was, before mindless comedies got the better of him! He is obviously way more Himmatwala than Jeetendra was and performs his stunts with inexplicable exhibition of power and strength. Often you might chance glimpses of the serious actor he was, but the script with its dim witted dialogues and spoofy gags kills those moments unceremoniously. The film will be a sad cue for Rajinikanth however, because our leading man won against a tiger, fought off enemies with mandir ke ghante and with such ease picks up carts. All that was left for Khan to make Devgn do was climb Mount Everest without oxygen or feet!
Tamannaah is a disappointment. With a tendency of getting lost in a flood of actors, she fails dismally for her dull screen presence. She tried her best to replicate Sridevi’s Rekha, with a commendably visible honest effort but that’s all for her.
Mahesh Manjrekar almost matches up to Amjad Khan’s Sher Singh and that alone is a compliment by itself. He puts his acting and notoriety skills to good use on screen, giving a ridiculous film few worthwhile and enriching moments.
Zarina Wahab is adequate in the role of strong willed Savitri. Her versatility could have been used more, but perhaps Sajid Khan prefers seriousness limited, looming large at places in his films.
It is Paresh Rawal who once again brings on screen sheer brilliance. As Narayan Das, he easily surpasses Kader Khan who played the loyalist in the original flick. With a perfect sense of acting timing, he towers over his co-actors who have meatier roles in the film.
Thank God, Sajid Khan was considerate enough to give us a musical respite. 6 dazzling item beauties of which you’ll definitely not miss Sonakshi Sinha. However her gorgeous looks are dampened by the less energetic and dwindling disco track she sleep-dances through!
Himmatwala Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects
While harsh words ain’t really my style of expressing, it is the turmoil Sajid Khan unnecessarily puts us through that gives mouth to the imp inside me. Luckily, the director refrains from recreating the original scene by scene, sparing us anymore pathos than the film already is. However, he deserves credit for understanding the 80s’ genre of cinema in all its ornate frames and glossy flamboyance, almost alien to most of us bred largely in the nourishing air of intelligent contemporary cinema.
Technically, he has given a more lustrous look to the original Himmatwala, which is good. But still one would wonder if it is worth it, since it is surely no masterpiece and definitely no one really asked for a remake of it!
Composed of a few indecipherable lectures, the film drags on its drudgery for a painful two and half hours. Repetitive dialogues loaded with dim wit, the film could have done with some vital editing. The music is decent with the good ol’ Taathaiya bringing alive a fuzzy nostalgic feel with it. The film’s cinematography, dialogues and editing all could have used some neat work, yet they aren’t the reasons for it to fail.
Alas, it’s Sajid, Sajid, Sajid alone!
Himmatwala Review: The Last Word
Himmatwala demands excessive himmat from the audiences to sustain it through all its exasperating buffoonery laced with dim witted stupidity. Walk out of hall and queue up for the refund Sajid Khan promised you. See you there!
Plus points:
- 1. Action scenes and stunts
- 2. A couple of songs, to an extent
- 1. Dated drama
- 2. Too melodramatic for today’s audience
- 3. Too loud
- 4. Irritating comedy
- 5. Seems as if it belongs to a different era altogether