HAANI MOVIE REVIEW
Star cast: Harbhajan Mann, Sarbjit Cheema, Mahreen Kaleka, Sonia Mann, Anuj Sachdeva, Rupan Bal, Shweta, Ashish Duggal, Sardar Sohi, Balwinder Vicky, Rupinder Rupi, Dlkhush, Gurdev Dhillon, Gursharan Mann and Gurbinder Sandhu
Director: Amitoj Maan
Producer: Harbhajan Mann, Babu Singh Maan
Music: Jaidev Kumar
Genre: Romance
Censor Details: U (Punjabi) – 138 Minutes
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Synopsis: Haani is a romantic saga spanning two different generations of a family. It tells the story of love, friendship and honor immortalized by commitment. The plot of the film simultaneously narrates 2 plots. Ranjit (Harbhajan) and Jagga (Sarabjit) are best friends in 1964 where Ranjit falls for Sukhaan (Mahreen) and loves her to death. Other plot involves Harman (Anuj) and Preet’s (Sonia) love story in 2013. Somehow fate connects these love stories together.
Review: Director Amitoj Maan makes a Punjabi film for the very first time after making 2 Hindi films – Kaafila and Hawaayein. One thing is clear about him that he has always tried to go through the unconventional way of story telling. Be it his earlier work or even Haani. In a scenario where every film released is a Comedy, here comes a man with a film that has LOVE written all over it. You just cannot help but fall in love with a film like this one.
Amitoj himself has done Haani’s story and screenplay both. The story of the film is something at least I haven’t seen before in Punjabi Cinema and even in Hindi films. It’s a mind-blowing concept and the story of the film has its own merits and stands tall despite of some minor technical glitches.
Haani takes us back to 1964 and depicts the original Punjabi culture like the feel of a real Jaggo in the 60’s, the Chajj’s, the cultural Mela’s in villages and also the evergreen romance between couples in the older days which some say is the purest form of love. Screenplay is very well written and fits both the portions of the story very easily. Dialogues by Sardar Sohi were first grade and I got to learn many new Punjabi words from this film.
Amitoj Maan as a director has really come into his own in this film. I had heard people talk great about him and I saw it here in Haani. Although there were errors in the film like the Camera work by the Cinematographer Krishna Ramanan and team wasn’t up to the mark. Had it been better, the film could have even achieved some more brownie points.
Music was by Jaidev Kumar and a really melodious music he’s given for the film. Also the album had voices like Shaukat Ali, Harbhajan Mann and Sarabjit Cheema. Tracks like Tang Sajjna Di, Teri Meri Jodi, Jagga – all are my favorites.
Coming to the performances, Harbhajan Maan was a delight to watch after a long time. Yaara O Dildaara was a disappointment but he’s really come into his own here in this one. Sarabjit Cheema was seen in a completely different avatar here and was reasonably good. There was a scene in the 2013 plot where he feels the presence of Harbhajan, it was a very emotional moment and the background score played a great role in that scene.
The film marked the debut of various actors. Mahreen Kaleka is something to watch out in the future. She has everything required for an actress – good looks, acting talent and a soothing voice. Even Anuj Sachdeva and Sonia Maan deliver their best performance, Anuj being better than Sonia. She can improve a lot in future, given perfect platform to perform. Sardar Sohi was good in a cameo. Rest of the supporting cast like Rupan Bal, Sarabjit Cheema’s son and Mahreen’s brother in the film.
Final Say: Haani is something very different from what the usual Punjabi audience is used to watching – Drawing Room Comedy! Films like Haani need to work in order for the real growth of Punjabi Cinema and audiences need to accept such films. Ignore the shaky camera work in some sequences and enjoy what I call a true Romantic film.
Paisa Vasool: 75/100
