Redwood Productions’ Hai Tujhe Salaam India is the story of four friends and how three of them get justice delivered for the murder of the fourth friend at the hands of the chief minister’s son.
Raakib (Aarya Babbar), Govinda (Ajaz Khan), David (newfind Salman Bhatt) and Happy (Kanwalpreet Singh) are close friends. Raakib wants to do something for the country. Govinda is an aspiring actor while David desires to direct films. When David and Govinda are signed for a film by producer Narang (Nishikant Dixit), all the four friends as well as Raakib’s girlfriend, Zoya (Smita Gondkar), set out for Gaya (in Bihar) for the shooting. However, on the way to Gaya, Happy is murdered by Bihar chief minister Janardhan Sinha’s (Gulshan Pandey), son, Vicky (Mir Umar). When the friends do not get justice from police inspector Pradhan (Mir Sarwar), they use social media and a journalist, Archana (Archana Prajapati), to spread awareness about the corrupt system.
There is awakening among the public, leading to the fall of the government. Re-elections are ordered, and Raakib wins from the Youth India Movement party. Vicky is also brought to book.
Avanish Pushpa Kumar’s story is childish and overestimates the power of media and social media. His screenplay is very shoddily written and often takes recourse to contrived situations and measures to further the drama. Avanish Pushpa Kumar’s dialogues are alright, at places.
Aarya Babbar is okay as Raakib. Ajaz Khan is so-so as Govinda. Smita Gondkar does an average job in the role of Zoya. Salman Bhatt makes an ordinary debut as David. Kanwalpreet Singh is average as Happy. Gulshan Pandey (as chief minister Janardhan Sinha), Mir Sarwar (as police inspector Pradhan), Archana Prajapati (as news reporter Archana), Nishikant Dixit (as film producer Narang) and Mushtaq Khan (as Raman Ojha) lend routine support. Mir Umar doesn’t quite impress in the role of Vicky.
Avanish Pushpa Kumar’s direction is below-average. Music (by Sagar Bhatia and Yug Bhushal) is functional. The ‘Vande mataram’ song is alright. Song picturisations (choreographed by Dilip K. Mestry and Deepa D. Mestry) hardly deserve mention. Manna Munjal’s background music is dull. Harish Patel’s camerawork is below the mark. Sets (by Anil Wath and Vijay Dass) are ordinary. Shahabuddin’s action and stunt scenes just about pass muster. Santosh Mandal’s editing leaves something to be desired.
On the whole, Hai Tujhe Salaam India is a flop show.
Released on 26-1-’22 on Hungama Play.