Review of Filmistaan

Filmistaan is a movie which celebrates the power of Bollywood, the impact of the 100 year old industry on our day to day life. It shows how the charisma of Bollywood movies can connect the people of two rival countries Hindustan and Pakistan.

The story starts with Sunny Arora (Sharib Hashmi) ,a true Bollywood buff and an aspiring actor who keeps getting rejected at every audition. One day he got a chance to assist an american film crew for a documentary shoot in Rajasthan. But from there he got kidnapped by a group of terrorists as they mistook him as an american film crew member. After realizing their fault the terrorists kept him as a hostage in the house of a villager in Pakistan. While staying in Pakistan as a hostage , gradually Sunny came to know how the common people in Pakistan are attached with Indian Hindi movies. Here he met Aftab (Inamulhaque), a pirated DVD supplier and the owner of the house where Sunny has been kept by the terrorists. Aftab is also die hard Hindi movie fan.
The common attachment for Bollywood helps Sunny and Aftab to be connected in spite of being from two rival countries. Finally what happened with Sunny and did he succeed to escape from Pakistan forms the rest of the story.

The story have a new concept of showing the relationship between India and Pakistan from Bollywood's point of view through the eyes of a Bollywood buff. And this new story has been scripted very well too by the story writer and director Nitin Kakkar. He has put the comic elements very well. Even in the serious situations there is some comic relief. For example the scene where Sunny directs his ransom video himself or the scene where Sunny dubs for the dialogues of "Maine Pyaar Kiyaa" or the auditions for Pakistani remake of "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge".
Apart from the lighter moments there is beautiful touch of emotion too. The bromance between Aftab and Sunny has been developed very well. The scene between the two where Sunny accepts that he is not a good actor is very touchy. In another scene where Sunny talks about his grandfather with the Hakim is also very much emotional.
The only problem with the screenplay is the climax which has been dragged a bit much and also looks incomplete.

The dialogues written by the leading man Sharib Hasmhi are very effective and funny and it goes very well with the story line.

As a debutante director Nitin Kakkar's work is very much promising. The way he has chosen an unconventional subject as his debut venture is commendable. He has taken a bunch of talented actors who are not popular faces but goes very well with the characters. Apart from that while recreating the setup in Pakistan the director's eye for every minute detailing can not be ignored.

Sharib hashmi has done a bit roles in some movies earlier but as a leading man it is his first outing and he is superb. He is funny while doing the mimicries of renowned actors on the same time he can bring tears to your eyes in his emotional scenes. Just watch him in the scene where he is talking about his grand father with a Hakim, his expressions are absolutely brilliant.
The other actor who shines through his character is Inamulhaque as Aftab. His body language to dialogue delivery everything looks perfect which looks like he actually belongs to Pakistan. 
Together the two men has shown a brilliant chemistry.

Apart from these two leading actors the other actors who have done good jobs are Kumud Mishra and Gopal Datt as the terrorists Mahmood and Jawaad.

The technical team has done a brilliant job.The production design by Urvi Ashar and Shipra Rawal is very authentic and it helps to recreate the village of Pakistan. The costumes and make up is also very much convincing. The cinematography by Subhrangshu Das is good. The editing by Sachindra Vats is good but there is some scope for improvement.

The music has not much scope here as it is not a conventional romantic story, most of the songs have been used in background and it is just okay.The songs are not popular and neither leaves with you after coming out of theater.

Overall it is truly a different kind if cinema. It is a tribute to the whole Bollywood industry which has entertained us for more than 100 years. Every Bollywood lover will be able to identify with the two leading men. So if you are a fan of Bollywood then go and watch it and pay your tribute to Filmistaan - Jai ho Cinema Ki.