This radio is best left untouched.

Grade: C-

Radio

Indian Release Date: 03/12/09
CBFC Classification:  U
Running Length: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Cast: Himesh Reshammiya, Shenaz Treasurywala, Sonal Sehgal, Zakir Hussain, Paresh Rawal
Director: Ishan Trivedi
Screenplay: Ishan Trivedi
Cinematography: Attar Singh Saini
Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Since Moviesum is an egalitarian website I suppose it was only fair that I was assigned to review this movie after subjecting Ruchi & Dan to the torture that was Karzzz. As I prepared to watch, I was curious, the songs were quite good and it didn’t seem like the typical Himesh film. In fact from the promos (annoying as they were) it seemed to be quite “modern”.

Modernity is in fact what ‘Radio’ strives too hard to attain. The film does its best to be hip, to fit in with the younger crowd and its latest trends. It tries too hard and ends up looking like a sad, overweight uncle trying to fit in with a younger crowd at disco.

RJ Vivaan (Himesh Reshammiya) has just been divorced by the incredibly self-centered and ‘unpredictable’ Pooja (Sonal Sehgal) who declares that they’re better off as friends as their egos get in the way of their marriage. The breakup leaves Vivaan bitter and cynical; he sees no joy in life and has no desire to marry again. Shanaya (Shenaz Treasurywala) enters his life like a storm, slowly bringing joy back to Vivaan, even as they feign a relationship to please her family so that she can work on his radio show.

There isn’t much new in the movie in terms of storyline as Shanaya decides to sacrifice her love to bring the estranged couple back together *yawn yawn*. She has a typically crazy mixed family with a Punjabi father and Parsi Mum, all of whom are of course eccentrically adorable. The movie attempts to break new ground by bringing Facebook into the picture, a point that actually adds no value to the plot at all. Paresh Rawal in a guest appearance copies a popular real life radio segment with nowhere near the amusement value of the original.

As expected, Himesh still can’t act, but were any of us actually expecting him to be able to? He’s relatively less painful than in his first two movies; he however tends to get a bit too screechy when trying to be both emotional and funny. Both Shenaz and Sonal also have very limited acting ranges, in rather clichéd roles.

The one high point of the movie is the music which is rather enjoyable. The ending is also thankfully not as clichéd as it could have been, although it could have been executed more competently.

Final Verdict: This one is purely for Himesh fans, for anybody else it would be a waste of time.

Grade: C-

 

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