Neither here, nor there

Happy Bhag Jayegi
Hindi (U) Cast: Diana Penty, Abhay Deol, Jimmy Shergill, Momal Sheikh
Clan-Bold Mudassar Aziz

Every living creature on this side of the planet (and on the other side, too) wants to be with ‘Happy’. All of them breathe and talk Happy, the runaway Amritsar bride who finds herself in Lahore one fine morning.

And then, the movie also features the most miscast heroine in titular role. Thud! There goes a potential India-Pakistan comedy, dragged down by its no-spark protagonist.

So, it remains a mystery why everyone talks of Diana Penty in superlatives. Even the ever-so-sane Abhay Deol (playing a Pakistani) compares the Punjabi kudi to Madhubala, and one just gasps. Especially since Deol has a fiancee (the very beautiful Pakistani actor Momal Sheikh) who instantly lights up the screen with far more depth and dignity.

Supposed to be a livewire, Diana Penty instills no life into her role.
Yes, there are moments that bring cheer. And most of them are brought on by the “neighbour”. For a change, those from the padosi mulk are all peace-loving. And the hawks are all homegrown. Among them, Jimmy Shergill takes the cake. As a small-time politician vying for Happy’s hand, Shergill matches Abhay Deol’s polished act.

By the way, Deol is also being groomed into a statesman by his father (Javed Sheikh, nailing it) who wants his son to “change the history of Pakistan”.
Wish Deol got some support from his muse.