Hope Aur Hum Movie Review: Naseeruddin Shah and Sonali Kulkarni's Film Is a Charming Little Ode to Destiny

Sometimes there comes a movie that lands up a surprise on you when you don't expect it! Hope Aur Hum, a delightful indie flick is arriving this Friday. Directed by Sudip Bandopadhyay, Hope Aur Hum stars Naseeruddin Shah, Sonal Kulkarni, Aamir Bashir, Naveen Kasturia and Kabir Sajid. Here's our review of the movie.

Hope Aur Hum lets you in the simple but interesting lives of the Srivastava's. The Dadu (Naseeruddin Shah) is obsessed with his Mr Soñnecken, a century-old photocopy machine that has seen its good days and is in a dire need of a lens that he can't get anywhere. His daughter-in-law (Sonali Kulkarni) wants it to be retired so that they can get more room for her daughter, while his younger son Nitin (Naveen Kasturia) brings him a brand new machine to replace it. The son himself is caught in his own tussle with destiny when his phone gets lost and lands in the hands of a mysterious stranger. The third track belongs to the cricket-loving grandson Anurag (Kabir Sajid) who has a strange encounter at his maternal granny's haveli, which leaves him racked with guilt.

There are two phrases that you often get to hear a lot in Hope Aur Hum - 'Destiny' and 'Old is Gold'. Through its three main tracks, the writers have managed to create an intricate meshing of how Fate and attachment can have an interesting relationship with each other. The movie reminds us of how painful it is to be separated from something, whether living or non-living, that has been with us for years. The family might be frustrated with the grandfather's reluctance to accept that his machine is no longer in working condition, and so do we. But then later we realise that he sees Mr Sonnecken more as a friend who has been with him even after the death of his wife and his human friends. It's a feeling that we can relate to at some point in time. Though the characters reiterate that we need to move away from old stuff, the movie smartly shows our fascination for antiques. Like, through a scene where the kid getting intrigued by a gramophone - a device that doesn't need electricity to play music.

The grandson's track also has a curious theme about facing your guilt and accepting the consequences of your actions. There are some tense moments in this subplot, leading to a very satisfying conclusion that will surely leave a smile on your faces. It also helps that the young Kabir Sajid is a talented child artiste and his cute expressions win you over.

The third track involving the Dubai-returned son and his tryst with the missing phone may be the weaker plot among the trio. But it has a lovely message about Destiny bringing two people together if your hearts are set into making it happen.

Cricket also plays an important role in the proceedings. You will be sent down the memory lane when you see little Anurag interact with his friend about making him 'vice-captain' of the cricket team. His running commentary at the start when a dead neighbour is taken for cremation is hilarious. The grandfather's pep-talk to his machine about performance and how younger players are looking to replace it is another sweet cricket callback. There are more such adorable moments here. Ravi K Chandran's visuals add a bright, winsome hue to the proceedings. The runtime is also short, not putting up unnecessary fat in the proceedings.

Naseeruddin Shah is first-rate, once again, as the patriarch who is unwilling to let go off what made him relevant once. His breakdown in the climax will touch your hearts. It is always a welcome sight to see Sonal Kulkarni on the big screen, and she gives a good account of herself as the woman who efficiently handles 'four kids' of her family. Aamir Bashir is another excellent actor, who we don't see much these days. His drunken scene with his father makes for lovely father-son bonding. Naveen Kasturia, Beena Bannerjee and Neha Chauhan are all good.

Yay!

- All the performances

- Some delightful moments

- Interesting discussion on Destiny and attachments

- Simplistic storytelling

Nay!

- The romantic track is comparatively weak

- There are no commercial elements to make it masaledar

- Lack of marketing

Final Thoughts

Hope Aur Hum is a delightful little gem filled with heart-warming performances and insightful moments. It surely makes for a good family viewing, despite the lack of heavy-duty emotional scenes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2018 12:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).