‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ review: Watch it if you are a Shahid Kapoor fan!

`Phata Poster Nikhla Hero` is one of its kinds because the audiences have now matured and expect more than what has already been delivered.

Gayatri Sankar

After rom-com ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’, Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ comes across as a simple childlike Hindi film that now is a rarity. The film starring Shahid Kapoor and Ileana D’Cruz is one of its kinds because the audiences have now matured and expect more than what has already been delivered. Santoshi’s previous film- ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’- had laughter elements scattered across the film evenly. But that’s not the case with ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’, where the audiences are left to wonder whether to laugh or cry! That’s certainly doesn’t mean that the film isn’t worth a laughter. A number of thoroughly entertaining comic sequences are sporadically placed in the film. Nonetheless, some clichéd filmi scenes peppered on the top somewhat dilute the true essence of the film. The story is about a small town mother’s aspirations and her dream to see her son becoming an honest police officer. Savitri (Padmini Kolhapure) wants her son Vishwas (Shahid Kapoor) to join the police force. But her son is a wannabe actor who cannot think of anything beyond films. Savitri, raises her son with great difficulties and instils good values in him. She doesn’t want him to indulge in anything that is unethical. But her son has other plans. The acting ka keeda in him tempts him to opt for a different route to build a career- yes a career in films. He dreams of becoming a superstar. The wannabe actor gives a miss to his enrolment in the Mumbai police for his Bollywood aspirations. His chance encounter with real goondas while he is wearing a fake Police uniform helps him meet his ladylove Kajal (Ileana D’Cruz). Kajal, who is a socially responsible young woman, is stumped by Vishwas’s daredevilry as he accidentally becomes a catalyst in rescuing an innocent girl from the clutches of the goondas. And the silsila of Kajal’s misunderstanding continues. In the meanwhile, Vishwas gets the shock of his life when he is informed of his mother’s arrival to the city. And the troubled son looks for ways to keep pretending to be a Police Officer. But how long will Vishwas be able to keep his mother’s Vishwas in him intact. The remaining part of the film answers the question. Coming to the acting- ‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ is an out and out Shahid Kapoor film. The actor delivers applause worthy performance in the film which has him in the limelight from the start to finish. ‘Barfi!’ girl Ileana has very little screen space yet manages to impress. And ‘fabulous’ is the word for veteran Padmini Kolhapure. The songs in the film are a treat to the ears. The picturisation of the song ‘Mere Bina Tu’ will certainly remind you of ‘Tu Jaane Na’ featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif from Santoshi’s ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’. And the song ‘Main Rang Sharbaton Ka’ by Atif Aslam and Chinmayi Sripada is truly melodious. PPNH in totality doesn’t have too much to offer apart from Shahid’s flawless performance. The screenplay was good but the story failed to hold the attention of the audiences. The first half of the film promises sheer entertainment. But the film goes flat in the latter half. Santoshi’s idea was good but perhaps he failed to implement it well. If you want to take your kids for a movie, then ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’ is definitely a good choice this weekend. And even otherwise if you still want to watch the film, do not go with great expectations.