Happy Bhag Jayegi
EROS INTERNATIONAL, Rs 299
Cast: Diana Penty, Abhay Deol, Jimmy Shergill, Ali Fazal, Javed Sheikh, Momal Sheikh
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Comparisons have always been made when it comes to films and songs. And this Hindi film is no less. If in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the adorable little girl Shahida gets stuck in India and has to be taken back to Pakistan, here it’s the opposite when Happy (Diana Penty), on the run from her own wedding, ends up in Lahore by mistake. The plot is also a tad similar to the Julia Roberts Hollywood starrer Runaway Bride. Writer-director Mudassar Aziz constructs a winning effort in his ‘happy’ movie that should keep you in a jolly mood.
Small-town girl Happy is all set to be married to local bully and corporator Daman Singh Bagga (Jimmy Shergill). But Happy has her heart set on the good-for-nothing Guddu (Ali Fazal) with whom she plans to elope one day. As planned, on her wedding day, she jumps into a fruit truck that will take her to her lover, but unknowingly ends up in the wrong truck filled with floral material headed to Lahore, Pakistan. Crossing the border she finds herself in the home of a Pakistani diplomat, whose son Bilal Ahmed (Abhay Deol) is horrified to find a young lady seated in his house. With help from his mother and their servants, he tries to hide the intruder away from his father.
The fun starts back in Punjab where Guddu doesn’t know where his girl has vanished, and Bagga is angry at Happy’s family for ditching him. Meanwhile in Pakistan, Bilal, who is being groomed to become “the next Jinnah”, volunteers to help Happy reunite with Guddu so he can get her off his back, and in turn get back with his snobbish wife Zoya (Momal Shiekh). The family plans to visit India and meet Guddu. Will Bilal’s plan work out or will he be caught trying to help his unknown friend?
The music is peppy and goes well with the theme of the film. The track Happy Oye sung by Harshdeep Kaur and Shaid Mallya is refreshing. You have a galaxy of singers from Mika Singh, Neeti Mohan, Tarranum Malik and Danish Sabri who fine tune the Punjabi rap song Gabru Ready to Mingle Hai. Other notable tracks include the qawwali-based Aashiq Tera, the very soulful Zara Si Dosti and the balladic Yaaram.
Clocking in at a little over two hours, Happy Bhag Jayegi keeps you wondering what will happen next. The very westernised Penty tries hard to make her role of an Amritsar girl convincing. The jokes are bearable, with the supporting cast giving a few laugh-out-loud moments. As a true Bollywood-styled film, it is enjoyable.
Despite being banned in Pakistan, this film has a lovely storyline across both India and Pakistan. It shows a positive side to Pakistan and the friendship between both countries.
Verus Ferreira is a music journalist for over three decades. He is the author of The Great Music Quiz Book and The Great Rock Music Quiz Book and the founder of Musicunplugged.in
