Zee5 has recently delivered some nice movies and web series. The most recent one would be Hisaab Barabar starring R. Madhavan and Neil Nitin Mukesh. Directed by Ashwin Dhir, the story unfolds featuring R. Madhavan as Radhe Mohan Sharma; he is committed to honesty and integrity in this world full of deceit and greed The film addresses the pressing issue of financial fraud intertwining humor and drama to engage its audience. The movie raises the burning question of financial fraud while interlacing it with comedy and drama to keep the audience hooked. The movie is finally available to stream on Zee 5.
The Narrative:
Delhi boy Radhe Mohan Sharma(played by R. Madhavan) is a ticket collector for Indian Railways with aspirations towards chartered accountancy. His life takes an unexpected turn when he discovers a discrepancy of ₹27.50 in his bank account, leading him to unearth a massive ₹2000-crore scam orchestrated by Mickey Mehta(Neil Nitin Mukesh), the CEO of a corporate bank. As Radhe dives deeper into this investigation, challenges come in all directions from corrupt banking to the personal life as a single parent. The film shows us all of Radhe’s mundane misery-filled life. Atoning for both personal and systemic issues, our hero decides to tread the way of integrity and honesty. This is the groundwork theme for the movie.
The Insights:
The film focuses on an important issue and does not make it boring. There is humor and lighthearted comedy which keeps the plot moving. Radhe’s character is relatable to many middle-class viewers who can empathize with his daily battles. Other supporting characters too play their part well. Kirti Kulhari and Neil Nitin Mukesh are amazing as P. Subhash and Mickey Mehta. Although Mickey’s role could have been better with a back story, his limited screen time is justified. Despite its promising premise, Hisaab Barabar suffers from a lackluster screenplay that fails to maintain tension or excitement throughout the film. The film struggles with consistency and serious themes are often interrupted by random humor.
Winning Elements:
In contrast to its shortcomings with pacing and screenwriting, there are plenty of winning points with this movie. Majorly, it’s the acting prowess of R. Madhavan. His common man’s fight to survive daily issues is incredibly believable. It makes his character not just vulnerable but determined as well- a feature that I really related to. The cinematography by M. Sukumar captures the essence of both urban life and the emotional landscape of the characters. Even the background scores are decent and the climax leaves you satisfied.
Final Thoughts:
Hisaab Barabar attempts to grapple with serious issues prevalent in society with a mix of satire and drama but fails miserably because of the mistakes in execution. Though R. Madhavan has delivered a great performance, the whole screenplay is weak. There were moments where I was excited to know more about how financial frauds are carried out, and what are the nits and bits of the system, but the film never delved deep. However, if you are a fan of R. Madhavan and want a humor-filled drama, Hisaab Barabar is worth streaming.