'Happy New Year' movie review

Mumbai: Farah Khan's 'Happy New Year' starring Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan, Sonu Sood, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani and Vivaan Shah got a worldwide release today. According to reports, multiplexes have witnessed highest number of footfall in the morning shows and the film is all set to create new day one box office records.

Below are the reviews of the film

DNA 4 stars

This is Farah Khan’s return to form – quite easily, this is her most complex script to date but she handles effortlessly. There are stereotypes (more on that later) but what’s commendable is the manner in which she springs a surprise everytime the screenplay becomes a tad tiresome. The mounting is jaw-dropping – from the colorful chawls of Mumbai to the elaborate sets to the pristine skyline of Dubai. HNY is dripping with extravagance and flamboyance – in a good way. The film has the quintessential Farah Khan moments -- the lavish introductions of all characters, grand songs, the camaraderie between the actors and a touch of patriotism.

Bollywood Hungama 4.5 stars

With mega blockbusters like MAIN HOON NA and OM SHANTI OM behind her, director Farah Khan (who also doubles up as the film's writer along with Mayur Puri and Althea Delmas Kaushal), by now, seems to know audience's taste when it comes to masala movies. And maybe that's why she makes absolute no mistake while serving the dish called HAPPY NEW YEAR. While the soul and the story of the film remains truly Indian with Bollywood masala, comedy et all... Farah has managed to make a glossy film with stunning visuals. The film is a bit stretched with its run time going to almost 3 hours, the comic moments, dance and music keeps you engaged.

Mid-Day 3.5 stars

Farah’s movies do not really allow you to look for logic because after all, everything can be attributed to it being just the extension of the spoof that she makes of illogical films. But even then some in your face bloopers like the sharp Charan Grover missing seeing his own son’s lookalike just because he is hiding behind dark glasses, (Abhishek’s double role) and some others are still difficult to digest.

The entire cast, including Daisy Irani who plays Boman’s eccentric Parsi mother, was clearly enjoying being part of this movie. While SRK is at his charming best and Sonu, Boman and Vivaan have given sincere performance, Deepika Padukone and Abhishek Bachchan stand out among others. Deepika’s graceful dance act in the climax is enough to show why this girl is where she is. While Abhishek’s role as Charan’s son is rather insipid, he manages to touch a chord with his other role as the uneducated, innocent boy.

Hindu

Happy New Year is too self-aware for its own good but thankfully, it packs in some laughs with moments of irreverence and political incorrectness. The sporting Anurag Kashyap-Vishal Dadlani cameo, or the scene where the team hacks into the results to eliminate a talented children’s team called Angels, Abhishek Bachchan’s snake dance (which is likely to go viral in nightclubs) or racist digs at the Korean team.

Speaking of Koreans, this is a team that rarely laughs. A dig at Korean cinema, perhaps, because what Farah is trying to say here is that dance (or by that extrapolation, art) is not about the form but about winning hearts.

India Today 2 stars

Shah Rukh Khan has worked hard on his body for this film and he does a fine job of flaunting it. Extremely full of energy most of the times, he entertains. Deepika puts in sincere efforts but is limited because of the writing. Boman Irani plays a Parsi and is the funniest of the lot. Sonu Sood is brilliant. Abhishek Bachchan performs well too and so does Vivaan Shah.

Vishal Shekhar's music is good for the film, some songs set the mood since dance performances are a part of the plot.

Rediff 2.5 stars

Happy New Year belongs to the rest of the cast. While Shah Rukh Khan is busy playing Shah Rukh Khan (or is it Rahul? I cannot tell anymore), Deepika Padukone, Vivaan Shah, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani and Sonu Sood steal the show from under his nose.

Although Deepika doesn’t turn out to be the remarkable dancer that she’s supposed to be in the film, she definitely is a solid, bankable actor who manages to even make Rakhi Sawant cool.

Boman Irani is yet against cast in a role so stereotypically Parsi that it makes you want to introduce the writers to some real Parsi people before they attempt to have another character belonging to the community ever again. Yet, Irani executes the task flawlessly, retaining his immensely likeable screen presence.

Vivaan Shah acts as an excellent support system, managing to play a teenager without either being dumb or rebellious while Sood seriously pulls up his socks and displays some commendable comic timing.