Patiala House, Southall, London.
This address in the movie came to signify the rallying point for Indians across the Southall community in the 1980s led as it were, by the Patriach – Babuji who had no love lost for anything British(funnily on British soil though) . Most of his hatred comes from a set of severe experiences that see a venerated Sikh killed by the skinheads and the fact that at an early age to avoid racist attacks on Sikh, Kahlon Singh his son has had to cut his hair short.
He dominates every facet of Kahlon’s life even refusing him permission to join the ‘ gora’ team when the cricket prodigy is selected at the age of 17. For the next 17 years, Kahlon Singh nurses his dream secretly, playing out his fantasy at the nets every night where he goes after closing for the day, the shop that his father has set up for him. For fear of hurting his father he doesn’t stand up to him and being the eldest child in his generation, neither can the rest of his siblings. They resent the situation and him for being so spineless
Until one day there comes into his life Anushka Sharma . She rallies around him and encourages him to apply again. Will Kalli be able to stand up to his father? And the batsmen in the field after 17 years of being away?
Well, I ain’t gonna tell. Go find out for yourself. Minty fresh Anushka is as inspiring as they come and her smile just takes you away from any other action in the same frame. Rishi and Dimple together yet again are a very rare and a delight to watch. Akshay is for a change, sober and controlled and gives a very good performance – all the way since his last good act in Singgh is King.
The continutity director has done a very job in ensuring there are no glaring flaws in a story that spans 25 years and the post op is also pretty good. The songs are bearable, with the title song can get to be an earworm that’s hard to drive out. Hard Kaur is well Hard Kaur in the movie as well.
The background music and the lyrics are pretty apt and poignant though adding to the depth of the drama that’s unfolding on the screen.
Definitely worth a dekko as the Brits would say!