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Hindi film review
Johnson Thomas
Film: Youngistaan: Serenading Election Season
Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Shaikh, Boman Irani
Direction: Syed Ahmed Afzal
Rating: * * ½
Genre: Drama
Duration: 2 hours
Taking advantage of the election season to fashion a story about young love juxtaposed against tragic circumstance, national responsibility and conservative old-school mindset, Syed Ahmed Afzal makes the attempt to garner box-office eyeballs at least a trifle refreshing. That the basic story very much resembles Rajiv Gandhi’ s tragic ascendance to the Prime Minister’s hot-seat is possibly incidental. The narrative is not really interested in the young man’s vision for his country, it’s in fact far more interested in painting a picture of the difficulties he faces in his love life following that tragic ascendance. Abhimanyu(Jacky Bhagnani) and his live-in girlfriend Anvita(Neha Sharma) were enjoying the mod-life in Tokyo when he is forced to get back to the country of his birth following his father(Boman Irani), the Prime Minsiter’s death. Once back in home country, the path to love becomes further complicated by the rigors of political life and conservative expectations. Akbar uncle (Farooque Shaikh), the PA to the PM is his only true confidant.
The premise was intriguing but the exposition , set-up and eventual progression to the climax is too shifty to be riveting. The dialogues lack wit and polish while the screenplay is a little too stroppy for continued comfort. There isn’t any sharpness to the development either. The political drama and love story is not crafted with much finesse either. The only engagement comes from recently departed Farooque Shaikh’s sterling unblemished performance, Jackky’s sincere effort and the hummable songs which lend the much needed pep to an otherwise lackluster effort!
