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“Be Happy” Review: Director Remo D’Souza ‘s film “Be Happy” is a story that highlights the struggle between dance and father-daughter relationship. The film revolves around the life of a school girl Dhara (Inayat Verma) who struggles to fulfill her dream of dancing. But the biggest obstacle in her path is her father Shiv Rastogi (Abhishek Bachchan), who thinks about her education and stable future, not about her dance dream.
Dhara and Shiva’s father-daughter relationship:
The plot of the film is set in the hills of Ooty , where Dhara lives with her father Shiva and grandfather Mr. Nadar (Nassar). After his wife died in a road accident eight years ago , Shiva resists moving out of the hill town so that he can cherish the memories of the time he spent with his wife and Dhara’s mother. Shiva’s character is the epitome of an Indian father who always encourages his children to focus on education and stability , but never expresses his inner emotions.
Dhara’s personality is revealed as a lively and passionate girl who finds her true identity in dance. She gets inspiration from her school dance teacher Maggie (Noor Fatehi) and performs her dance skills with her grandfather. Dhara dreams of dancing on the stage of “India’s Superstar Dancer” , but her father is against this dream.
Structure and acting of the film:
The most impressive part of the film is the father-daughter relationship between Abhishek Bachchan and Inayat Verma , which both actors portray very well on screen. Abhishek Bachchan ‘s acting seems very angry and boring at first, but gradually he breaks his harsh nature and expresses his feelings for his children. At the same time, Inayat Verma has played the character of Dhara so beautifully that she becomes a lively character in the film.
Dance and melodrama of the film:
Dance plays an important role in Remo D’Souza ‘s films, and it is a must in “Be Happy” too. Though the dance performances in the film are superb, they take precedence over the comedy and drama . While the first half of the film deals with the complexities and conflicts of relationships, the second half of the film focuses more on dance numbers and choreography, leaving the emotional aspects of the story behind.
Nora Fatehi who plays Maggie fails to make much of an impact with her performance. Her dialogue delivery seems mechanical and lacks any depth, which adds a slight dent to the film.
Struggle and pursuit of dreams:
Dhara dreams of moving to Mumbai to pursue her dance dreams. But her father Shiva is very conflicted about this decision. He wants Dhara to focus on her studies and stay in Ooty for a stable and secure future . This conflict is portrayed very well in the movie , but it gets resolved halfway through the movie, and the focus is on dancing and singing.
overall:
“Be Happy” is a multi-layered drama about a little girl’s dreams, her father’s traditional thinking and the conflict between relationships. The film has mature dance , father-daughter relationships and emotions but it fails to give the audience the deep emotional connection they expect . If you have seen other Remo D’Souza films , you will have to watch this film in the same genre.
