Movie Review: Hello
Film Critic: Goher Iqbal Punn

Director: Atul Agnihotri
Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sohail Khan, Isha Koppikar, Arbaaz Khan, Amrita Arora, Sharman Joshi and Gul Panang
Music: Sajid-Wajid

‘Hello’ hits the theaters today (Friday, 10th October) but fails to register any impact on the cinegoers’ minds. The film is an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s book titled ‘One Night at Call Center’. The director of this flick is Atul Agnihotri, who too does not impress at all with his job. The enterprise deserves only a cute ‘hello’ by the viewers when they enter the theaters but once the movie starts they even do not care for their money and say good bye to the film instantly and go out of the cinemas leaving the movie behind. This is what ‘Hello’ is all about. This outing stars the likes of Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sohail Khan, Esha Koppikar, Arbaaz Khan, Amrita Arora, Sharman Joshi and Gul Panang. Having this ilk of big star cast, nonetheless the movie cannot generate interest factor for the audiences. It’s an undoubtedly a fact that some stories are interesting to read but when you watch them on screen you appear not to like them on the celluloid. This is the case with ‘Hello’. There is also another big drawback with the film and that is screenplay, which credit goes to the book author Chetan Bhagat and the director of this film, Atul Agnihotri, who writes the adaptation of the book. Atul utterly fails to grab the viewers’ attention from the start reels to the end. The movie peeps into the lives of the people working at call centers. Although the storyline seems novel but the presentation is so amateurish that you begin to yawn while the movie is running.

In the first half, there is hardly any movement in the story but in the second half, you find a bit of movement to stay with. Initially the things go wrong with the call center personnel but suddenly in the post interval, everything goes right for them. Doesn’t it look filmsy? Yes, it does…! An altogether boring enterprise to waste your time and money, this is what ‘Hello’ is for you.

The movie reveals the events taken place in one night at a call center. Shayam (Sharman Joshi) is going to loose his girlfriend Priyanka (Gul Panag) because his career in a call center is going nowhere. Priyanka also works at a call center. Her mother wants her to tie the knot with a rich NRI.

Now enter more characters in the film: an aspiring model Esha (Isha Koppikar) is looking for a break. Vroom (Sohail Khan) loves her and wants to settle with her but she is focused on her career. Radhika (Amrita Arora) is constantly at the receiving end of her mother in law even her hubby (Arbaaz Khan) is undergoing an affair. These call center personnel see all falling to pieces around them. And then there is a call from God…

The screenplay is amateurish and this is the biggest flaw of the film. The writer does not seem to have grip over the art. The direction too is weak. The music by the duo of Sajid-Wajid is just about okay. Only the song, ‘Bang Bang’ appeals the most. The cinematography by Sanjay F Gupta is passable.

Sharman Joshi, Sohail Khan, Gul Panag attract among the horde of the actors. Amrita Arora and Isha Koppikar are okay. Arbaaz Khan in a brief role enacts ordinary job. Rest of the cast is unimpressive. Salman Khan (who has been used for the publicity hugely) is hardly there in the movie. He appears just for a song and a scene in the film. Katrina Kaif also comes as a guest performer for a 5/10 minutes role.

‘Hello’ is a weak enterprise with a poor screenplay. A big disappointment.

RS Rating: 1/5

- The reviewer is a popular and experienced Bollywood and Indian TV Analyst and laced with a good rapport with the Bollywood and Indian television fraternities. He also shares a good rapport with the celebs of these swanky worlds. You may write to him at the e-mails: goheriqbal@yahoo.co.uk, goher.punn@yahoo.com and Bollywood.tv.analyst@gmail.com