Goel Screencraft’s Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke (UA) is a road film. Shammi Suri (Dev Goel) and Priyanka Lalwani (Adah Sharma) are neighbours and very good friends. Dev works in an IT company while Priyanka works in a call centre for a medical company. The two set out in Dev’s car from Bombay to Pune to attend a marriage. Instead of reaching in a few hours, the two get into one problem after another and even get arrested by police inspector Karate (Sanjay Dutt). Priyanka, who loves Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, is in love with another neighbour of hers, John (Samrat Mukherjee), but she doesn’t have the courage to tell him so. In fact, Priyanka is a very shy girl and often finds herself lip-locked when she has to talk. How Shammi helps her get over her problem during the course of their journey and how he tries to bring Priyanka and John together is also revealed in the film. What happens ultimately? Do Shammi and Priyanka reach in time for the marriage in Pune? Does inspector Karate put Shammi and Priyanka behind bars or does he let them go scot-free? What is their crime or what are their crimes? Does Priyanka muster courage to convey her feelings to John? What happens to the friendship between Shammi and Priyanka?
Dev Goel and Jyotin Goel have penned a story and screenplay which has some light and entertaining moments, but in totality, the script does not keep the audience engrossed throughout the drama. That is to say, while some jokes and anecdotes entertain, the same cannot be said about the drama in its entirety. Also, the heroism of Shammi comes across too late in the day. Agreed, Shammi’s heroism in the form of him trying to unite Priyanka and John does come across but that seems to be more incidental than primary. As a result, the drama appears to be frivolous and, if one may say so, scattered. The angle of police inspector Karate, which ought to have been hilarious, isn’t so. Likewise, casting Chunkey Panday in four different roles is a gimmick which would’ve worked had the scenes with him in each role been absolutely funny but they are just about okay, thereby greatly diluting the impact of the casting. Probably, the biggest drawback of the drama is that although it is a youthful love story, the audience doesn’t root for the principal characters of the love drama. In fact, there is nothing in the script which makes the characters of Shammi and Priyanka endearing to the viewers. Also, the shortcoming of Priyanka does not seem to be such a big disability that her overcoming it would gladden the hearts of the viewers. Actually, the script is so structured that there is hardly any romance in the film. Comedy is enjoyable only at places. Emotions are conspicuous by their absence. Drama is minimal. Dialogues, penned by Sreekanth Agneeaswaran and Dev Goel, are good at places and ordinary at others.
Dev Goel makes an average debut. He looks okay but needs to go easy on his overtly animated acting and work a bit more on his dialogue delivery. Adah Sharma is cute and earnest. Sanjay Dutt is okay in a special appearance but his work seems to have been wrapped up in a hurry. Samrat Mukherjee makes his presence felt in a brief role. Chunkey Panday acts well in the four roles of C.C. Chothia, Dino, Khukhri Thapa and Paaji but if he still is not able to create the desired mirth, it is because of the writing. Juhi Chawla leaves a fine mark in a special appearance as the paan-chewing doctor. As her nurse, Meenal Sharma is effective. Amit Mistry does an excellent job as Suresh Amladi. Tariq Vasudeva is alright as Priyanka’s boss, Monty. Rati Agnihotri has her moments as Shammi’s mother. As his father, Viveck Vaswani gets very little scope. Atul Shrivastav is okay as havaldar More. Ashish Ranglani passes muster in the role of Rocky Bhavnani. Anupam Kher is alright in a special appearance. Vinita Razdan (as TV anchor), Rajesh Dubey (as banker), Soneer Wadhera (as gorilla man), Nirmal Soni (as Sahil Baba), Brij Gopal, Rio Kapadia (as Khan Sahab), Ashutosh Gajiwala (as hacker Prashant), Priya Pereira (as girlfriend of Monty) and the rest pass muster.
Jyotin Goel’s direction is alright. But although the film is about youngsters, his narration may not exactly cater to them. Music (Sangeet and Siddharth Haldipur) is weak. Lyrics (Sreekanth Agneeaswaran) is nothing to shout about. Nitin Sagar’s cinematography is okay. Jaswant Singh’s action is routine. Dilip Singh’s sets are fair. Shree Narayan Singh’s editing leaves something to be desired.
On the whole, Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke is entertaining in small parts only but dull otherwise. It will, therefore, fail to make any mark. The poor initial of the film will only add to its tale of troubles.
Released on 24-5-’13 at Inox (daily 1 show), Metro Big (daily 2 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PVR Pictures Ltd. Publicity: fair. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor everywhere.