Well, this is what happens when the promo itself is weak. A lot of pressure them comes on the core content to do the talking. This is what happened with Bhangra Paa Le, the promo of which was unveiled many weeks ago. Though the film belongs to dance genre, something that has seen ABCD franchise grow quite well, there wasn’t much enthusiasm that was generated since the promo wasn’t exciting enough. Post that the songs and dances could have helped its cause. However when there wasn’t much to sing and dance about that as well, pun intended, it all boiled down to whether the film as a whole would end up surprising the audience.
Unfortunately that doesn’t quite turn out to be the case. Though Bhangra Paa Le isn’t bad, it doesn’t have much of an entertainment quotient either that could make audiences jump with joy. Just like the promo, the film too comes across as cliched and predictable, hence making one wonder why more effort wasn’t put into making the proceedings more engaging. After all, the transition of story across the two eras did lend promise to the plot. However, beyond the core storyline, a lot needs to be put into place so as to make a two hour long film engrossing enough, something that doesn’t turn out to be the case with Bhangra Paa Le.
What still keeps you reasonably interested in the proceedings though is the glossy and glitzy look and feel of the film. This is something that comes with the territory since songs and dances ensure that the sets as well as outdoor locations bring on some eye catchy visuals. Of course, comparisons with ABCD franchise are inevitable. Still, in the technical department the film manages to have a good hold and one has to credit first time director Sneha Taurani for managing that quite well. She has an eye for visuals and that works for the film.
The newcomers too show promise. Sunny Kaushal has been around for a little while but was noticed in Gold where he had a notable role to play opposite Akshay Kumar. With his first full fledged lead role in a commercial film, he does well. Especially in the dance sequences he makes a good impression, though in the dramatic scenes set in the current era he could do better with his dialogue delivery. It comes across as way too subtle at places. That said, he definitely has potential to do well in films to come. Ditto for Rukhsar Dhillon who has made her Bollywood debut here. She looks good and is confident. However, there is certain rawness around her which if polished can turn her into a more well rounded professional.
That’s how the film as a whole too turns out to be. It is good looking for sure but then a tad raw at places. While the scenes set in the era gone by do bring on a dramatic appeal, the current times come across as rather cliched and this is where one feels that better writing on paper could have been elevated it to a greater high since there were resources and talent available for execution. Perhaps if not on the big screen, the film may just manage to find better audiences in the satellite and digital medium.