A movie about the clashing ideologies of father and son. Now where have we heard this one before?! Anyway, moving on!
It is always a delight to see Rishi Kapoor on screen. One of the most popular Kapoor of his generation, he manages to make his mark and hold his own even today. So be it the lovable cafe owner cum love guru to Saif in Love Aaj Kal, a middle class school teacher struggling to make ends meet in Do Dooni Chaar, and now as the patriarch of the Kahlon family in Patiala House, Rishi Kapoor lights up the screen.
The movie talks about the racism faced by 1st generation Punjabis in the 50s & the 60s in England. Bauji (Rishi Kapoor) becomes the face of the Punjabi community fighting for respect and individuality in Southhall. This means that he abhors the English and does not want an iota of their influence/culture into his family. As is the case, their is a flip-side to this stand. The entire family has to adhere to his diktats, which means that their dreams and aspirations are put on hold. So in keeping with Bauji's wishes Gattu (Akshay Kumar) gives up his dreams of playing cricket as a member of England's squad. Years later Gattu, by quirk of fate, is given a second chance to play for England and realise his dreams. The entire family conspires to help Gattu realise his dream in the hope that they, too, might be given a chance to live the life of their choice.
Anushka Sharma plays the love interest of Akshay, even though the movie is less a love story and more a story of father-son conflict. It must be said that Anushka manages to hold her own ground in front of stalwarts like Rishi Kapoor & Akshay Kumar. She seems to have effortlessly endeared herself to the audiences with her chirpy charm!
This is Akhay Kumar's most restrained performance and he totally excels in his portrayal of a man conflicting between his respect & loyalty towards his father and his love for the game of cricket. Wish his many such roles of substance and less of buffoonery!
Dimple Kapadia plays Rishi Kapoor's wife in the movie, and yet again they make a lovely pair.
Music of the movie is good, and we have another wedding anthem of the season, although you will have to wait till the very end of the movie for it!
Liked your take on this movie.
ReplyDeletefor me it was just another movie and just an ordinary script,acting...it is so hard to see akshay kumar in such serious roles....i don't think he can do justice to such roles...where a wow performance is needed, he is zero!...it was very painful for me to watch and go with flow in this ...i cudn't get out from the movie theater cuz i was seating in the middle and i so wanted to run away!:P
though rishi kapoor was brilliant in his role!
Preeti, no wonder I prefer the aisle seat!
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