Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Surveen Chawla
Director: Baljit Singh Deo
While you are busy lamenting the fact that Punjabi filmmakers continue to find contentment and monetary benefits in making comedies, you could busy yourself by watching ‘Hero Naam Yaad Rakhi’. Featuring Jimmy Shergill and Surveen Chawla in key roles, the film at least helps you escape from the oh-so-common realm of comedy for complete 100 minutes. Yes, it is gripping to some extent, but not superior to other thrillers you may have seen till now.
Hardly surprising then that when ‘Hero Naam Yaad Rakhi’ opens, we see two bodies lying on a blood splattered road, with a narration by Harinder Singh (Jimmy Shergill) playing in the background – asking the viewers to listen to his story to decide if what he did was correct or not. So yes, right from the opening sequence till the end, director Baljit Singh Deo keeps the viewers engaged. While we appreciate Deo for using Jimmy’s unpredictable and frail emotional condition at center stage to sustain viewers’ interest, we do wish he had refrained from focusing too much on romantic songs and Surveen’s outfits.
As far as the story is concerned, there is nothing unusual for the viewers. After seeing Surveen meet with an accident, Jimmy falls for her and decides to visit her daily at the hospital she has been admitted in. Nervous about approaching Surveen, Jimmy tries his luck by sending her numerous messages, but all his efforts go in vain, until one day when he gets to speak to her lady love. While Jimmy is super elated at finding out that his love hasn’t gone unrequited, Surveen often drops hints to him that he might loathe her if he ever gets to know her ‘real’ self.
Much threat, suspense is mined during the meetings between Surveen and Jimmy, particularly a scene wherein a singer is set on fire by a man hiding behind a mask. Such instances where both Jimmy and Surveen are attacked do help in building up suspense, and anticipation of things to happen.
Since love is so fundamentally important to Jimmy, he doesn’t leave any stone unturned in winning Surveen’s trust and clearing misunderstandings. But does this help? Nah! Instead, with his inability to not trust Surveen blindly begins his end. While the first half of the film is both light and breezy, the second half is not as impressive as one expected it to be.
It is hard not to like Jimmy. He plays his part – that of a relaxed, natural, and open lover- really well. He neither puts on a show to impress Surveen, nor likes the idea to going against her family to marry her. You’d like him for giving a heart-felt performance.
Surveen looks gorgeous in every frame, but there is a lot more to her than good looks. She has immense talent and the potential to pull off much stronger roles.
The film could have done a lot better had the director tried his best to create edge-of-seat suspense. The characters – both lead and supporting – could have been a lot more believable and compelling. It is sad that a film that could have stunned many, had the thought been executed well, included sequences that looked stretched and not so crucial in strengthening the storyline and making this hero memorable.
Rating: 2/5
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