Running for nothing

Kathmandu / March 19: The title of the film, Bhaag Sani Bhaag, suggests that its protagonist Sani (Keki Adhikari) is on the run — for something or from something. Her male counterpart Dev (Sabin Shrestha) is also on the run. And the film that is limited in scope — with focus only on things like how the protagonists meet, in what circumstances they are together and what happens to them at the end — is out of the running. What keep it from faltering are actors’ performances and cinematography.

Sani is a dreamer — she loves to dance and dreams to become an actress like Karishma Manandhar. She is a spoilt child of village’s Pandit (Ramesh Budhathoki) and her mother (Gita Adhikari) is worried about Sani’s acts. So, her mother arranges her Sani’s marriage. To fulfil her dream of becoming an actress, Sani runs away in her bridal attire leaving her marriage ceremony.

On the other hand, Dev is a lazy lad who doesn’t have any interest in doing any work. When his father (Laya Sangraula) asks him to get married, he too runs away from home.

Sani and Dev meet at the bus stop to Kathmandu where they argue for the seat in the bus.

The film in the beginning seems promising in terms of location, dialogues and situations. As it develops, you won’t find any solid plot in the movie. The story is inadequate but director Nawal Nepal has tried to bring the film’s essence — love story of protagonists — in an interesting and entertaining way. And the lead actors have supported him well here.

Keki’s character of boisterous Sani from the western part of Nepal and her dialect are interesting and she has pulled off that character easily. Shrestha has also executed his role of a lazy but loyal son naturally. They look nice together and complement one another.

Budhathoki, Gita and Sangraula as parents have justified their roles. Not to forget is Neer Shah, his character Kedar seems forcefully included in the story for plot development. But he grabs your attention with his polished acting.

However, the plot of Bhaag Sani Bhaag — Sani wants to be a famous actress while Dev wants to earn lots of money and they pretend to be husband and wife when gangsters and cops are after them — is strikingly similar to that of Bollywood film Bunty Aur Babli.

Bhaag Sani Bhaag is a comedy film but the humour is not natural, specially of the actors in the supporting roles.

You can enjoy the cinematography instead. The chase scenes among others have been brilliantly captured in the film.

Even though music director Chetan Sapkota can’t impress you in his comic role as Tote Don in the film, his songs like I love you and Yo Ke Bhako make you keep humming them even after the movie ends.Source: The Himalayan Times