Heropanti

Cast: Tiger Shroff (Bablu), Kriti Sanon (Dimpy), Prakash Raj (Chaudhary), Sandeepa Dhar (Renu), Devanshu Sharma (Rakesh), Vikram Singh (Rajjo Fauji), Shireesh Sharma (Police Commissioner), Samar Jai Singh (Bhuppi), Sugandha Mishra (Shallu), Sunil Grover (Guest Appearance)

Genre: Romance, Drama

Direction: Sabbir Khan

Production: Sajid Nadiadwala

Written by: Sanjeev Dutta

Cinematographer: Hari Vedantam

Editor: John Carnochan

Music: Sajid-Wajid, Manj Musik 

Release Date: 23^rd May, 2014

Language: Hindi

Duration: 2 hours 31 minutes

Heropanti, debut film for both the two main protagonists Tiger Shroff (Jacky Shroff’s son) and Kriti Sanan (she has worked in south earlier), has a concept very much seen and heard off. It is being rumoured that Heropanti is remake of Telugu superhit movie Parugu. It showcases the conservative families where parents are having tremendous love towards their children and also very protective. But parents’ love vanishes the moment they learn about their child’s desire to get married against their wishes. And if elopement happens, then the frantic search of the couple by the family begins; not to accept them but to kill them (known as ‘Honour Killing’ in our society, although there is nothing honourable at all in this). For the whole life, parents try to bring up their children without letting them know any troubles. All they want is that they should grow up and never become a threat to their status. Parents are just concerned about the well-being of their children and in their language, they can never ever think anything bad for their children. But when it comes to an important decision of life like marriage, parents don’t even bother to involve their children, rather end up imposing their desires upon the children. As parents, we must make our children competent enough to take decisions of their lives, we must facilitate them to choose the right life partner in an open communication environment, cannot afford to have autocratic approach and impose decisions upon them. The plot did remind me of Rangrezz and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge at times.

The movie begins with the introduction of Chaudhary Suraj Singh (Prakash Raj), his brothers Bhuppi Bhai, Pappi Bhai and other family members who have all gathered for the marriage of Renu, elder daughter of Chaudhary (Sandeepa Dhar). Chaudhary Suraj’s Haweli is in the Jat-land, where loud moments viz. shero-shayari, videography, song-dance, boozing etc. are all shown. The celebration in the air changes into gloom mood, when Renu elopes with her boyfriend Rakesh (Devanshu Sharma). And there starts the head-hunting for the family and relatives of Rakesh who could let Renu’s family know about their whereabouts. Finally Rakesh’s three friends become the target, Bablu (Tiger Shroff) being one of them. Bablu has been given a smashing entry in the movie with some good fist-moving-action shots when Renu’s relatives come to grab him, right out of his gym. Bablu and his two friends are locked up in Chaudhary’s haveli along with one more NRI person (who was captured just because he was wearing red jeans and the astrologer had predicted that someone in red trousers might know about the whereabouts of Renu and Rakesh). Bablu is pleasantly surprised to find her ‘love at first sight’ girl at Chaudhary’s residence – Chirpy Dimpy, second daughter of Chaudhary (Kriti Sanan), but it takes almost the first half to explore his girl in that Jat-land.   

Does Dimpy accept Bablu’s love ? She knows that one step out of the tradition would fetch her lot of challenges from her family, so, how does she move further ? What happens when the family learns about Bablu’s love for Dimpy? Does Dimpy’s family ever set Bablu and his friends free?

We have seen such plots many times in the past. What I felt was that the presentation missed punches. Love between Bablu and Dimpy is not developed properly. But yes, the plot tries to highlight both the versions – the reasoning for the rage of a father whose daughter elopes and also the youngsters’ reasoning behind wanting the freedom to choose their life partners. Director has wisely avoided any honour-killing scene and he touches this core issue in a very sensitive manner.

While watching the movie, I observed certain errors (though minor in nature) which could have been very well avoided. When Bablu and his friends are hit and tortured, in one frame, their face is bruised, but then the face is bruise free in the succeeding frame. Dimpy mentions Rakesh as Rajesh in one of her dialogue.

The dialogue by Bablu (in regard to his Heropanti): Sabko Aati Nahi and Meri Jaati Nahi” is a bit overused in the movie, but probably to justify the title.

Tiger Shroff has got a good Launchpad to showcase his excellent dancing, action skills. Though, I felt, he is less convincing in the frames where he has to emote and express. His action scenes have shades of Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan; his shirtless moments remind us of Salman Khan, and his dancing skills are fabulous, which has shades of Hrithik Roshan. Kriti Sanan, although does not have much to do, looks cute and charming in many frames. As debutantes, they have done pretty decent work, and we should not ignore them.

Heropanti tries the same old formulae, but Tiger Shroff definitely adds some freshness to it.

Rating: 2.75 / 5 (Average +)