Bollywood Revisit - “The Hero”
Last night Zee aired The Hero - Love Story of A Spy ; the film was a box office dud, but somehow I had enjoyed it at that time. Watching it again was equally interesting. This was the review I had written to send to Filmfare at that time.
With a song on his lips, power in his biceps, punch in his voice, here comes our dashing, daring and dynamic hero. He changes his appearance faster than a chameleon, crosses the LOC single-handedly to save his beloved, preaches about nuclear bombs, and wins the hearts of the masses with his charms.
With his penchant for Sunny Deol, Pakistan-bashing and climaxes in fast moving trains, Anil Sharma returns with his latest patriotic saga, titled, very aptly- The Hero. The sub-title (Love Story of A Spy) is a misnomer, but then, Gadar (Sharma’s previous big hit) had a ‘love story’ in its name, so we can assume it was added for superstitious benefits. Else, the love story in the film is even less loose than Pakistan’s reason for claiming Kashmir!!!
The story is about Arun Khanna, a RAW spy, who has only one mission in life: to expose ISI Chief Isaaq Khan (Amrish Puri) and his obnoxious plan of handing over nuclear bomb to the Kashmir jehadis. On one such mission to Kashmir, he falls in love with a pretty village belle (Priety Zinta) but loses her due to the evil designs of Khan saab and his coterie. Thereafter, he is back to his mission, exposes Isaaq Khan and finds his beloved back. The film is a potent and vital blend of James Bond’s chutzpah with a dollop of Mission Impossible-like brazenness, laced with just a tinge of emotional sheen of our very own Bollywood. And all this wrapped in a shimmering package of color and charisma.
Writer Shaktiman must be commended for penning a script that does not tire one bit- it’s a high-speed neck-breaking ride through the avalanches of Kashmir, to the battle in the jungles, to the scientific maze of a nuclear bomb factory to the ultimate orgasmic-like blowing up of the beautiful engagement-set climaxing with a thrilling, chilling climax in a stark red train against virgin white snow!! Honest, its breathtaking….jhoot bole jo use kaat khaaye bichhua.
Priety Zinta gives an honest and heartwarming performance as Reshma, the Kashmiri belle. Priyanka Chopra is wasted in a brief cameo, though she shows some bright sparks in her debut. Amrish Puri regurgitates his Gadar performance (anyway, in how many ways can he be a big bad Pakistani). And what to say of Rajat Bedi, the poor guy came to be a hero. In The Hero is relegated as the villain’s sidekick.
And finally, Sunny Deol- he is the Hero- definitive, decisive and dramatic. He proves that he is the men among all the heroes around- the role fits him like a hand in glove- no loose wrinkle anywhere, no open space left anywhere.
Uttam Singh’s music is adequate (in any case the songs are sensibly used as an aid to the background score) and the song “Dil mein hai pyaar tera”* has the making of a superhit number. The cinematography is bright and dazzling, the editing crisp and crackling, the dialogues pithy and sizzling.
Anil Sharma’s direction is full of élan. Though there are some obvious glitches (how can an ISI chief just go to America to catch hold of one man, that too without full precaution?) and some avoidable clichés (the muffler with the initial engraved getting lost and being found by the woe-be-gone heroine was more kitsch than cliché!!!!), still Sharma manages to hold the entire show together in one whole watch able yarn. Yes, The Hero is a mega carnival show- bright, luminous and large-than-life.
Watch it, enjoy it and forget it!!!!
*The song like the film didnt set the charts on fire; personally, I feel its a wonderful composition and deserved to be a hit!
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May 13th, 2006 at 9:12 am
First !! Nice to read about my favourite film. Reading now…
May 13th, 2006 at 9:23 am
Padh liya. Preity Zinta looks too sweet in this movie. Dil mein hai pyar tera is lovely number indeed. I also like ‘mari koyal aisi kook mahiya menu yaad aa gaya’.
May 13th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
omg this is a new blog DJ
May 13th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
I might have seen it - don’t remember.
How are things going for you at Delhi?
May 13th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
the film was boring - a bit too far fetched - just like the bond films, ans a general assault on my senses…. dunno why i saw it though… perhaps a lack of options!
May 13th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Deepak, we expect new posts from you. Anyway,I do remember having watched the movie and enjoyed it too.
May 14th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Did not like the movie at all.
May 15th, 2006 at 8:14 am
MADHU Haanji gold aapka. Yep, I like the song too. Good to find someone else who liked the film
GIRL Yep it is . And a warm welcome here
NAVJOT Things are fine:)
ANKS Boring? I disagree there. Far fetched, yep it is. But then I like thrillers
And there hv been worse films getting success at box office.
JAY Well there was a new post before this one. And there will be a new one after this one
Ab kabhi kabhi, apne poorane pitaare se nikaal leta hun kuchh posts 
MEHAK Ohki…
May 17th, 2006 at 6:29 am
I think I watched this movie when it first came out…but can’t remember much of it after all these yrs. Wasn’t it hyped for being the moxt expensive movie in Indian cinema (or was that some other movie??). I just remember when I watched this movie, I just couldn’t figure out where they spent the money.
May 17th, 2006 at 9:34 am
MANNAT Dunno about the budget talks of the film … I enjoyed the slick pace and not sure if all facts are all correct, but whatever was presented was with confidence and style.
June 14th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Last Monday my associate and I started to research the world of blogs.
We wanted to see how many blogs do not allow comments and articles to be posted without membership.
By visiting each blog after the post, we check for the comment to compile our data. Thanks for allowing this post.
June 15th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Engraved Jewerly hope you get success with your research though am not sure how you will be able to complete it because there seem to be million blogs in the Internet world - what is your sample size, what all services ( eg rediff, indiatimes, blogspot etc ) are you incorporating - more importantly for whom are you doing this research- for your own personal self or for some organization and what is the purpose behind this research ?