Bala
Ratings: 4.5/5
Duration: 2 Hrs 09 Mins
Director: Amar Kaushik
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Release Date: 08 November, 2019
Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar, Yami Gautam, Jaaved Jaaferi, Saurabh Shukla, Seema Pahwa
Plot: The film tells the story of a young man who was quite a popular kid in school with a good hairdo Balmukund Shukla aka Bala (Ayushmann Khurrana), a man who is balding prematurely. The story revolves around his everyday struggle due to hair loss and how he copes with the situation. The film also explores Bala's relationship with the two women in his life, played by Yami Gautam and Bhumi Pednekar.
Review: Of course, it is an Ayushmann Khurrana show, but the real heroes of this quirky entertainer are director Amar Kaushik and writer Niren Bhatt, who has also written the dialogues and the screenplay.
The film not only deals with premature balding but also racism, social media addiction and how hollow we are becoming as a race, and Amar Kaushik has tactfully handled all of it.
Coming to the performances, Bala is another feather in Ayushmann's glorious hat! Before the release of Bala, Ayushmann Khurrana has delivered 6 straight critically acclaimed films like Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Andha Dhun, Badhaai Ho, Article 15 and Dream Girl, that are also big box office successes. Well, make it 7 as Ayushmann Khurrana delivers yet another crowd-pleasing performance. Be it comedy or dramatic scenes, Ayushmann excels!
Bhumi Pednekar gives an endearing performance, though she didn't have much to do in the first half. However, in the second half, she shines.
Yami Gautam gets the best role of her life. This has to be her best performance till date, and she steals the show whenever she is on-screen.
From Saurabh Shukla, Seema Pahwa and Abhishek Banerjee to Jaaved Jaaferi, every character actor has played their role with a flavour that is unique to themselves. They are delightful to watch in their eccentricity and don’t remind you of any character you have seen earlier.
There are only a couple of songs and that too in the second half but are forgettable. The background score is fine. The editing is good, and the cinematography is fine too.
Overall, Bala is an out and out entertainer with its heart in the right place. It is not just a celebration of Bollywood but also its critique, which questions the stereotypes set by our cinema about beauty.
The film oozes out a feel-good warmth you were waiting for, for so long. Watch it for its interesting narrative, brilliant performances and hilarious dialogues.
