Over the last few decades lot of improvements have influenced the Indian landscape on the economic front, among the major differences, apart from the high raises in our metros and the cars on our streets, its the economic affluence of the great Indian middle class and their spending powers. No matter the changes, the plight of Indian students who make it abroad, sans any deep pockets, their fate remains the same to this day. Every student who left the Indian shores for greener pastures can well relate to this movie and authenticate it for themselves and their own struggles. At about least 80% of what Suraj Sharma goes through in the movie, would mirror their own struggles as a young student.
The illegal, has some beautiful cinematography, that encompasses and captures Hassan's struggles quite poetically. Music is very well handled for this semi dark tale of struggle. Screenplay and characters are authentic to the core, well about 90%, I would have been more happier if they had dropped Hassan's love interest, Jessica's character, because no white girl would dare to fraternise with a brown guy and that too a waiter, had it been a co-student it would have been alright and more believable. Production design, costumes and make were good. Editing was swashbuckling for keeping it interesting and the movie under 90 minutes. Suraj Sharma delivers a yet another fine performance, Shweta Tripathi and Adil Hussain don't have much to do in the movie.
Overall, The illegal is disarmingly simple yet highly insightful take on the perils of chasing the American dream without a safety net, The tale has huge scope for melodrama but The Illegal does well to keep overt sentimentality at bay. A must watch and a recommend movie for all age groups, to understand, the major struggles an international student with limited money goes through. 7.3 stars out of 10 for this wonderful portrayal of a struggles and pain that matched my own as an young student couple of decades ago.
