Movie – Hasee Toh Phasee
Actors – Parineeti Chopra, Siddharth Malhotra, Adah Sharma
Director – Vinil Mathew
Writer – Harshavardhan Kulkarni
Release Date – 7 February 2014
Running time – 141 minutes
When a film is produced by exceptional names like Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap, it is destined to raise curiosity amongst die hard Bollywood goers.
Nikil (Sidharth Malhotra) who is a sweet, loving and considerate guy strives on the zeal to please everyone. His demanding fiancé Karishma, played by Adah Sharma manages to take up a lot of his time with her constant request and desires. Karishma’s sister Meeta depicted by (Parineeti Chopra) reappears into her life after 7 years just mere days before her sister’s grand wedding. She takes up accommodation into run-down conditions and must be hidden at all cost from her family. Nikil takes it upon himself to bring Meeta into his home to make her comfortable and provide hospitality to his future sister in law. Amidst her mysterious character, she is a genius scientist who engages in constant pill popping and consumes a tom-boyish personality and demeanor. The curious question orbiting her presence is why did she return? Why did she run away in the first place? It is with this wonderment that both Nikil and Meeta are thrown into all different situations that cause them eventually to grow closer together.
Debutant director Vinil Mathew’s “Hasee Toh Phasee” takes you through this suspenseful and elusive seven days portrayal, in a refreshing way even though it all happens in the backdrop of a predictable, big fat Indian wedding with uncles, aunts and cousins, adding laughter and fun.
The soundtrack of the film is by Vishal-Shekhar, while the lyrics are written by Kumaar & Amitabh Bhattacharya. There is actually a song called “Drama Queen” sung by Vishal Dadlani and Shreya Ghoshal. In addition a special selection namely “Zehnaseeb” sung by Chinmayi Sripada along with Shekhar Ravjiani proves to be my favorite.
A distinctive and most definitive scene which touched my heart gently, was one that depicted Nikil waking up his fiancé’s dad in the middle of the night, as to discuss what might seem to him as wedding arrangements. However it unfolds to be such a sentimental and touching setting as it was a ploy to get him out on the balcony for Meeta who was hiding outside behind a tree to have a view of her father whom she had been longing to see.
The story could have been tighter and the film could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. HTP has moments to make you laugh out loud, and leave you a little misty-eyed. The film will get your undivided attention because of Parineeti Chopra. I give it 3 stars.