Hero movie review: Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty manage to shine despite a weak script!

Hero movie review: Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty manage to shine despite a weak script!


Salman Khan introduces Athiya Shetty and Sooraj Pancholi in his production venture…

This week is one of the most exciting ones for Bollywood as two star kids – Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty will make their Bollywood debut with Salman Khan’s production venture. Aditya Pancholi’s son and Suneil Shetty’s daughter will star in Nikhil Advani’s directorial venture, Hero, which is a remake of Subhash Ghai’s 1983 classic that starred Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri. I saw the film and here’s my take on the new version of the classic film…

What’s it about:

Nikhil Advani’s Hero begins like any other film with two aspiring debutantes would. The camera plays with Sooraj’s well chiseled torso, showcasing his flex ready biceps and that hawk eyed gaze which becomes his USP through the film. A remake of the 1983 Jackie Shroff- Meenakshi Sheshadri film, the story has been given a 2015 makeover. The core elements remain – warring families, puppy love simmering against a bloody backdrop with musical numbers that showcase two newcomers. Athiya Shetty plays Sooraj’s love interest Radha, who is a heady concoction of the girl next door who has a dramatic metamorphosis nearing the blood soaked climax. It’s a traditional love story tailor made to emphasize Sooraj and Athiya’s strengths and attempt to hide their weaknesses. Along the way we meet a bunch of characters played by the parents, friends and not one but two baddies who let Sooraj show off his fighting skills. Sooraj and Radha’s love story isn’t glitch free, but there it definitely manages to give these two young actors a decent debut vehicle.

What’s hot:

From the very first frame Sooraj Pancholi fills up the screen with this charm and sex appeal. There will be a lot of oohs and aahs from girls (and a few boys) when he rips that shirt apart and makes his stunning entry. There is a certain ease about him which leaves a lasting impression. Sooraj will definitely be lapped up after Hero by other filmmakers who would hopefully give him diverse roles. Athiya might bear an uncanny resemblance to Sonam Kapoor, but she breaks that early on in the film. As the goofball who doesn’t know what situation she’s thrown in, Athiya plays Radha will utmost conviction. The cinematography works in the first half, especially in the scenes up north. Sooraj and Athiya have great chemistry which works in making their story favorable. Aditya Pancholi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vivan Bhatena and Chetan Hansraj are the supporting pillars to the love story. Nikhil Advani impresses in scenes where Sooraj and Radha are speaking through their eyes rather than words.

What’s not:

The problem lies with the script. It just isn’t innovative or fresh enough. Advani plays safe and doesn’t offer anything new. The story sort of reaches a stale mate in the second half. The introduction of Vivan Bhatena as the baddie seems like an added distraction to shift focus from the lack of a cohesive plot. Also Athiya’s costumes and make up looks sketchy, especially the close ups. There are some badly edited scenes. Sooraj and Athiya fall in a downstream river that oddly takes them up north where Athiya offers prayers to ‘Buddha ji’ promising him she will abscond from all things bad. Only if she had made a similar promise after reading the shoddy script. Except the title song, nothing stands out. In fact the Romeo Juliet skit act in the second half just tests our patience wearing us out. Sooraj has a fantastic body, but every time he rips his shirt to shred, we don’t need a minute long tribute to his naked torso.

What to do:

Sooraj and Athiya show immense promise. Unfortunately, Hero doesn’t do justice to their potential.