Patiala House

Patiala House:A perfect dish with all ingredients in the right measure..Anushka's bubbly character, Punjabi background, our original bobby couple Rishi and Dimple, the omnipresent Indian Shaadi and cricket.The film essentially debates the eternal Indian subject whether to put our dreams/wishes on the back burner for what tradition/parents demand or go against them to find success and happiness in pursuing our dreams. This movie really surprised me because i expected a gloomy tale looking at the trailers but Akshay's glum character is suitably balanced by the rebellious streak in all other well cast members , anushka's charm, her kid brother, and the wonderful track of Hard Kaur the singer which was a surprise once again and above all with fun songs well and differently picturised with no romantic songs/dream sequences in the swizz alps.highlight of the movie is when akshay manages to get the final wicket and i had a smile and moist eyes at the same time. Well done Akshay, a first for your acting capabilities.Kudos to lyricist.."Mujhe Yunhi karke Khabon Se Juda, Jaane Kahan Chupke Baitha Hai Khuda, Janoon na main kab hua Khudse Gumshuda" ..great stuff!!!Go, watch and have FUN this weekend.

Okay, first up I suppose I best say that this is the best film Akshay Kumar has done for a long time. Whilst he will never be a great actor, at least here he does an excellent job with a character that could have been a disaster. No over the top performance, this is a measured effort that conveys the character's inner turmoils very well.

The rest of the cast also do a fine job. Rishi Kapoor is always excellent and does a very creditable job as the head of the house. Dimple Kapadia plays his wife with sensitivity and purpose, although she is under utilised and perhaps underwritten and subservient in the screenplay. Anushka Sharma also does an excellent job in a role that could quite easily have devolved into a mess. I quite fancy that, on the evidence of her first four films, we may potentially be seeing the emergence of a new Queen of Bollywood.

The film itself is a very interesting look at the family in an Indian household in Southall, London, where traditional values are being undermined somewhat by the younger generation being more influenced by the cosmopolitan opportunities of a more accepting London than that which their parents faced.

The only real complaint I have with the film is that too many characters were brought to the fore and it results in a bit of confusion as to who is who. However, that aside, the screenplay is good, the film has a sense of purpose and moves forward at a nice pace. There is no unnecessary sentimentality brought into play and the end result is a film that does not scale great heights of classic cinema but is an eminently watchable film that deals with its subject matter very well.

I watched this movie when it was released in February 2011. At that time, I thought the subject matter of the movie was not relevant contemporarily, however suddenly the riots in London have made me feel that perhaps the movie makers must have experienced something like premonition or telepathy that he chose the theme of the movie which was not only true a few decades back but it has again come true after a few months of the movie's release - the hate-filled attacks on the Asians in England, especially London. The movie tells the story of a Sikh family settled in Southall and now the English authorities are praising the spirit of the people (mainly Indians) settled in Southall only in checking this avoidable havoc.

Southall is considered a mini India in London and when the astray, unemployed and spoilt English youths are presently on a rampage in London and adjacent towns, the movie appears to be all the more relevant and I feel that by coincidence, it became a movie ahead of its time. The moviemaker has made in the fashion of a masala flick only, intermixing comedy and emotions to the optimum; however, by default, now it has become practically relevant too because the Indians and the other Asians presently being attacked and looted in London must be feeling the same way, the main protagonist of this movie (Rishi Kapoor) feels towards the English.

Gurtej Singh Kahlon (Rishi Kapoor) becomes an anti-English when his family is attacked by the English brats and his uncle (Prem Chopra) is killed in the anti-Indian riots. He unites all the Indians living in Southall and go for a lot of development for them through his sheer hard work and dedication. Due to his efforts, not only the Indians prosper there but also his own family becomes a reputed one, settled in a house known as Patiala House. However, his anti-British sentiments cost his talented Cricketer son - Pargat Singh Kahlon (Akshay Kumar) when he is not able to play for England at the international level. Years pass and due to his anti-British fervour, his young family members start feeling suffocated. Since Pargat is completely dedicated to his father and he has willingly sacrificed his ambitions for his father's sentiments, he is the only man in the family who does not have any grudge against the head of the family, i.e., Gurtej or Baauji. However, his heart weeps at his shattered dream of playing international Cricket. Only his mother (Dimple Kapadia) understands and feels his pain. Else everybody in Patiala House only mocks him.

I don't know how many people in the real world are lucky enough to get a second chance to fulfil their dreams. However, in at least two contemporary movies, I have seen life providing a second opportunity to the protagonists. Firstly, it's Meghana Mathur (Priyanka Chopra) in Fashion (2008) and secondly, it's Pargat Singh Kahlon who being a fast bowler, gets a chance to play for England at an age when usually the sportspersons seek retirement from playing. How Pargat avails this second opportunity provided to him by the destiny to turn his long-cherished, yet unfulfilled dream into reality and how it leads to an emotional confrontation between the anti-British father and his beloved son, forms the bulk of the narrative which is highly appealing.

Patiala House could have become a great movie because it's a movie which contains its heart in the right place. The emotional drama which is the essence of the movie has been presented very well on the screen and it not only moves the audience but also inspires the youths not to lose heart and pursue whatever they are passionate about.

However due to commercial constraints, the director could not convert this good movie into a great movie. The post-interval session has been wrapped in comedy in which the family members are busy in preventing Baauji from watching TV (lest he should see his son - Pargat aka Gattu playing on the screen). The songs and dances block the flow of the narrative.

Music composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is admirable because most of the songs are hummable and enjoyable. However there is only one song - Kyun Main Jaagoon which is in sync with the theme of the movie. This sentimental song has been penned by Anvita Dutt Guptan and sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali.

Akshay Kumar and Rishi Kapoor have delivered towering performances in the central roles of father-son duo. It's, by all means, one of Akshay's five best performances. Rishi Kapoor is a legend now and Dimple perfectly compliments him (though she gets proper scope in the final phase of the movie only). Anushka Sharma as the young heroine is lively and energetic and her mere presence infuses life into this serious movie. The complete supporting cast has done well. The presence of many real life Cricketers has added value to the movie. I don't know the names of the actors but I wholeheartedly admire those who have played the roles of young Rishi Kapoor and young Akshay Kumar. Theirs are heart-conquering performances.

I recommend this flop and underrated movie to all those Indians (whether settled in India or abroad) who are proud to be so. However when I contrast this movie with the violence presently taking place in London and nearby towns, I wonder whether the filmmaker is right in conveying his message that now there is no ethnic bias against the Indians (or the Asians) in general. Have the times really changed in England ?

Nikhil Advani creates yet another melodramatic Bollyflick that is 'Patiala House'. Given the script, it actually had potential of being an engaging film that tackles issues like racism, relationships and the cricket craze but Advani succumbs to Bollywood formula with the usual ingredients such as over-the-top characters, intrusive background score, brightly colourful songs, stereotypical clichés, needlessly lavish sets, sentimental scenes, overt patriotism, predictable conclusion and what not. I felt that the attempt to tackle racism was weak. A more subtle and sincere treatment could have made the difference here. Yet, if only mildly, 'Patiala House' is a tad better than the usual formula films that are churned out these days mostly because it raises some important issues (although it fails to tackle them well). Akshay Kumar takes a break from the usual mindless comedy. His performance does remind one of the work he did in awful movies like 'Ek Rishtaa' and 'Waqt, Rage Against Time' and he proves to be competent. It's high time that he chooses a decent film and a role that suits him for a change. One wonders when that's going to happen- Rishi Kapoor seems to have taken over Amitabh Bachchan's tyrannical dad role and he grossly overdoes it. Dimple Kapadia is brilliantly restrained but an actress of her calibre deserved better. Anushka Sharma is vivacious and has a commanding screen presence. 'Patiala House' is forgettable but it's not among the worst Hindi films of the year.

First of all, I'd like to praise the entire production team, but especially the director, Nikhil Advani, for doing such a great job with this. It doesn't actually feel like a film because the characters are so believable and their livelihoods are very normal. The film's story is relatively simple, but it conveys a very important and nice message. Hats off to Akshay Kumar, Rishi Kapoor and Anushka Sharma - they all have given really good performances here. Dimple Kapadia and the supporting cast also do their parts really well. The music is also good. The best tracks are 'Adat hai woh' and 'Laungda Lashkara'. The screenplay is fabulous and the editing has been done very well.

Verdict: this film deserves to be a success at the box office - go for it!. I give it 8.5/10.