Filmworld
'All Is Well': Trite yet entertaining
By
By Troy RibeiroFilm: "All Is Well"; Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin,
Supriya Pathak, Seema Pahwa, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub; Director: Umesh
Shukla; Rating: **1/2
"All Is Well" may seemingly start as a film
where nothing is going well in the relationships and family life of the
Bhallas - Inder (Abhishek Bachchan), and his parents Bhajanlal (Rishi
Kapoor) and Pammi (Supriya Pathak), but as we are made privy to their
lives, there are several life lessons learnt about commitment,
responsibility and duty towards your family, albeit couched in robust
Punjabi humour.
It is the tale of a disgruntled son, Inder, who
loves his guitar and nurtures the hope of pursuing a career in music,
away from his small town Kasol where his unambitious father runs a small
bakery. His father's disdain for his music and the constant discord
between his parents, coupled with his father insisting he helps him in
the bakery, drives him away from home to Bangkok. Years later, he
returns to Kasol on a selfish motive and realisation dawns upon him that
his parents need him.
An oft-seen family drama, with clashes
between a father and son, what makes this film stand out from the rest
is its treatment. What could have become a preachy,
it's-all-about-loving-your-parents kind of melodramatic film, director
Umesh Shukla has handled lightly, injecting the teachings and messages
with oodles of entertainment. The laugh-a-minute gags in the film which
seem frivolous and superficial are actually layered with intense
sentiments.
At every juncture, the dialogues are laced with
humour and there is enough of situational as well as slapstick comedy,
to keep one entertained.
Abhishek is sincere as the rebel, Inder
and it is fascinating to see his character metamorphose from an
estranged son to one who cares deeply for his parents. He is ably
supported by Rishi who plays the strict patriarch with aplomb. Supriya,
with minimal dialogues, tugs at your heart strings as she emotes through
her eyes, filled with fear and pathos. Asin as the devoted girlfriend,
Nimmi, delivers what is expected of her.
But some of the striking
performances in the film are perhaps delivered by two character actors -
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Seema Pahwa. Ayub as Cheema, the local goon
with a heart, is endearing and holds his own against all the actors,
while Seema as the greedy, wicked aunt, is outstanding. Right from her
get-up to her over-the-top loud performance, she is every inch the crass
Punjabi small town lady and is a delight to watch.
The
background score and the songs intelligently uses a lot of remix
versions of the old film songs which is nothing to write home about.
Sonakshi Sinha's item number seems forced, but succeeds in upping the
glamour quotient of the film.
Cinematographer Sameer Arya,
captures Kasol, Chandigarh and the smaller towns in the vicinity with
honesty and panache. His night shots of the hilly path is definitely
worth a mention.
What the film lacks perhaps is depth and novelty
in terms of the story and characterization. Also, with a static camera,
some of the scenes seem staged, giving the film the feel of a play on
celluloid.
If you delve deep seeking logic, then film could be
disappointing as the script is loaded plot-holes that range from the
daft to the futile.
With romance, chases and heartbreaks,
interspersed with emotional drama and ample humour, "All is Well" is
overall a well-meaning entertainment film, even if not refreshingly
original.