Movie Review | Harjeeta

What a game!

Movie: Harjeeta

Director: Vijay Kumar Arora

Star cast: Ammy Virk, Sameep Singh, Gurpreet Bhangu, Pankaj Tripathi, Parkash Gadu, Sawan Rupowali, Raj Jhinjer

Punjabi film industry has often been criticised for making films of similar genres. This week’s Punjabi film, Harjeeta was constantly compared to Bollywood’s Chak De India and Pollywood’s Khido Khundi. But once you’ve seen the film, you’ll know Harjeeta is all together a new ball game, it has nothing of the two previous films that have been made on hockey. Director Vijay Kumar Arora treads carefully and at the same time beautifully with the subject based on real life character, Harjeet Singh Tuli, a professional hockey player. Even though the story of the film is based on a real life character, the director manages to whip up all the elements of cinematic excellence, a fine story, impactful dialogues, an inspiring screenplay and great acting together, making it an ‘inspiringly interesting’ watch!

The film is a smooth sail, with no ups and downs… no lengthy scenes, no unnecessary drama, not an iota of extra romance, Harjeeta is a display of fine balance.

The good part about Harjeeta is that even though it is a film on hockey, it has taken into account the family as well as the love life of the player in question, Harjeet Singh Tuli, something which the audiences will enjoy watching.

While on one hand, clean direction holds our interest, the artistes in the film have beautifully replicated the real life experience of Tuli on to the screen with conviction and talent.

Talking about artistes, Punjabi singer-actor Ammy Virk is a delight to watch. The actor has managed to pull of the young and the slightly mature look of Harjeet Singh Tuli with sincerity. Ammy has grown as an actor, which is evident in the film. He seems to have slipped in the role so well that you’d probably forget he is only playing Tuli, and isn’t one! Next up is the child prodigy, Sameep Singh, who has nailed his role. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that the child artiste playing young Tuli is a born actor. It is a delight to see him on screen. And well, it is also a delight to watch some other fine artistes, Gurpreet Bhangu, Pankaj Tripathi, Parkash Gadu. Each one of them have shown a fine display of acting. Gurpreet Bhangu as Tuli’s mother, Parkash Gadu as his father and Pankaj Tripathi as his coach, together they bring alive the on screen journey of Tuli.

Not often do you get to see a Punjabi film actress act in a film, in Harjeeta however, you’d see Sawan Rupowali not only act but also shine.

 Harjeeta’s music and background score justify the theme, inspiring, young and dreamy. Harjeeta is a film that is edgy, crisp and entertaining at the same time. It might or might not inspire you to pick hockey, but it’ll certainly make you aware about the struggle of a player, Harjeet Singh Tuli, and may be many others like him.

Rating: ****

Jasmine

(punjab vision team)