Thursday evening in Dubai and the theatre is packed with everyone ready to watch Dil Bole Hadippa. Yash Raj carries a tag which families respond to, yet it seems like they are slowly losing their touch.
I wanted Dil Bole Hadippa to work because the promos looked exciting and the cast was fresh. In today's Bollywood, there are many stars but very few good female actors. Not being a fan of Rani, I was looking forward to her return to acting. Add Shahid to the mix, and you expect a good movie.
The movie's main problem is it's attempt to mix together all the popular genres of Bollywood: cricket, India-Pakistan, women's power, Punjab, and romance. Chak De India worked because Shimit Amin focused on hockey and SRK's passion. Hadippa decides to cater to all audiences, thereby diluting the impact severely. What could have been a really good movie turns into an extremely average one.
The good news for Rani fans is that she can still act and manages to look good. Yet she isn't young anymore and the charm which was required for this role is missing. She should take note of Kajol, who sticks to roles which suit her to the T.
My main reason for watching this movie was being a huge Shahid fan. Unfortunately, those looking for his acting power from Kaminey will be sorely disappointed. He is there to support Rani but delivers in the few scenes which allow him to emote. He looks great but the chemistry between him and Rani is missing and he seems to be more comfortable with Veer, the male version of Rani in the movie. Here's hoping his next Yash Raj movie has more of him.
Overall, it is a time-pass movie with gorgeous locales and comedy but a disappointment. Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra please work harder and rethink your strategy.