Hawaa Hawaai comes at a time when India is going through an era of transformation; when everyone is striving to bring in a new government, with a hope that things will change.
It’s a time of change for cinema as well and Amol Gupte tries to convey with Hawaa Hawaai that change lies within. If each one of us takes up the responsibility of changing lives around us and find within us that one passion that can make you move mountains, you can be the change.
The large-heartedness of the director translates on-screen with the characters he has chosen to support Arjun while he pursues his dream to be a skating champion with the help of his coach.
Watching Partho in Hawaa Hawaai is a déjàvu feeling. In line with his last touching tale, Stanley Ka Dabba here also he plays this simple, responsible mature-for-his-age boy whose life is too grim without his helpful, well-meaning friends who help him at every step.
Not sure if Amol really wanted it this way, but Hawaa Hawaai stopped a little short of being this perfectly touching tear jerker that tug at your heart non-stop due to lack of negative characters. Unlike Taare Zameen Par where even after the movie is long over, your heart keeps aching for the little boy, Hawaa Hawaai doesn’t leave you with that hangover.
You come out of the movie safe in the knowledge that he has been well taken care of throughout the movie and everyone around him is living only to see him happy and win and excel including the rich children and child labor enthusiasts. The movie lacks the punch that comes from defying taunting relatives, abusive child labour employers, envious rich kids and bullying competitors.
May be Amol has deliberately stayed away from bringing any of the obvious deterrents to progress onscreen but in return it takes away a lot of sheen from the final victory of Arjun.
The movie has its moments. The screen lights up every time Arjun’s friends come on screen bringing a fresh happy aura around them who don’t bring their own baggage of woes for you.
They bring smiles with their one liners especially the hero of the gang who goes confidently to buy skates for his friend. But apart from that, movie has this monotone around it with predictability in storytelling.
There are very few lumps in throat moments like Arjun running miles to call doctor for his father or whenever his mother comes onscreen always wanting him not to work. The movie didn’t leave me utterly satisfied but definitely I recommend to all those with kids to bring their children to watch it.
There are kids out there longing for things your kids take for granted and never use again – used roller skates, used bicycles, broken Barbies, torn soft toys; movies like Hawaa Hawaai are beyond ratings and beyond criticism as in the end they serve a purpose which none of the other movies do – they bring out the kinder part of you.
They give you food for thought and time to reflect as to what and how can you contribute to a lesser privileged person around you. Even if that kindness streak stays only for a while, it’s worth inspiring and worth striving for.
Hope Amol Gupte keeps coming up with the stories untold that unfold the goodness within us all, one person at a time like the cute boy in the movie says “Ek time me ek hi sapna.”
Shakun Rana Narang is Administrator of Moviemaniacs Facebook Group. The opinions shared by the reviewers are their personal opinions and does not reflect the collective opinion of Moviemaniacs Facebook Group or Learning and Creativity emagazine.
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