Halla Bol (2008) User Reviews

Watch Halla Bol for Pankaj Kapur

[danzs · 7/10 · 15 January 2008]

Raj Kumar Santoshi as director is at his element while handling a script that demands its pound of action and strong dialogues. With Halla Bol he gets those occasional moments and on their basis the movie is worth a watch.

Movie star Ajay Devgan (Sameer Khan) knows the ropes of how the industry works and does his bit as a member of the film fraternity who bitches behind the back of colleagues, acts in umpteen commercials or turns sycophant, dramatic, romantic as the situation in reel or real life may demand. But when he becomes an eye witness to murder at a party (Jessica Lal episode revisited) his conscience is at a crossword.

With the aid of his theatre guru Pankaj Kapur (Sidhu) he declares Halla Bol on the nexus of politicians and important businessman who believe they can protect their guilty sons since they control the reins of 'Power' 'Paisa' and 'Public' in the country.

The plot dips and loses audience interest at times since its a script that has been done in different variants before but then you can trust the director to deliver a few moments that draw a clap from the audience.

The dialogues between Ajay Devgan and the Politician along with those few minutes when Pankaj Kapur reacts to a bribe are strong points and raise the movie above the ordinary.

Ajay Devgan puts in a spirited performance but the movie belongs to Pankaj Kapur who lights up the screen every time (reminiscent of Sunny Deol doing his bit with Damini).

For his portrayal as Sidhu - a reformed dacoit - and a bit of Ajay Devgan each time he hits out at the political big wig makes Halla Bol a movie to watch and get, shall we say… a bit inspired.

Shout Against Crime....Halla Bol

[cybersupam · 7/10 · 21 August 2008]

This is one of the movies which will remain in my collection for lifetime, and like to watch it again and again. I am a big fan of Rajkumar Santoshi's movies except for Family which deserved nothing mark. Though he is considered as a commercial filmmaker, but the way he makes every movie has deep relations with the real world. Another example in this category is Prakash Jha.

Halla Bol is about Sameer/Ashfaque, a street actor turned superstar after stepping in Mumbai's B-Town. Before he was under guidance of old aged dacoit Siddhu for fighting against social and political corruptions. But after he gained superstar position in the film industry he avoids to step in controversy as it would spoil his stardom and popularity. In that way, he faces the case for Rashmi Sahani murder case, in which he was a perfect witness.

It is clear that Ajay is a favorite choice of Santoshi for casting in this kind of movies which have social messages to the citizens. Ajay and Vidya Balan couple looks great and cool. But the one who makes this movie interestingly worth a watch is Pankaj Kapoor. His convincing and motivating role as a dacoit turned reformer Siddhu is superb and deserved 10 out of 10 because only his presence takes the movie in forward. Santoshi did a brilliant job by casting such a talented actor in his project. But the most irritating role included here is of Darshan Jariwala as minister Ganpatrao. His performances look damn dull and blunt, as well it could have been prepared much more serious or lively.

After all, Halla Bol cannot be as great as Santoshi's previous The Legend of Bhagat Singh or Khakee but still can be accepted as useful to the audiences. This is not for them those who simply watch movies for timepass, leisure or fun...but for them those who want to view the world's real happenings inside a movie. So it's upto audiences to consider it great or junk.

I can rate it 7 out of 10.

Rajkumar Santoshi's Hard Hitting Social Drama with Pankaj Kapur in full form

[bobbysing · 6/10 · 24 January 2008]

It is encouraging to know that in the current scenario of rip offs, remakes and comedies, a filmmaker is there who has the courage to make films on social issues which need to be addressed. Halla Bol is Rajkumar Santoshi's hard hitting movie inspired from a well known real life incident. It has a slow and unimpressive start but gains after the intermission. In the second half you see the good old Rajkumar Santoshi back in form in some well directed scenes. In short some straight conclusions about the movie are : 1. It is inspired from the famous "Jessica Laal" Murder case which questioned our judicial & political system. 2. It can also be seen as a redefined version of Rajkumar Santoshi's own masterpiece "Damini". As here Ajay Devgan witnesses a murder and then fights for the justice. 3. There are few firsts in the movie. A hero using the main hall of a minister's home as his bathroom and Vidya Balan giving some bold statements as the wife of Ajay Devgan to the press reporters. 4. This time Santoshi's 'Sunny Deol' is the powerful "Pankaj Kapoor" who is equally power packed and punchy as Sunny was in "Damini". He is such a great actor that even when he has not got that physical appearance, still he makes you believe when he fights many men single handedly. He gets a author backed meaty role and does full justice with it. The film belongs to him completely.

Ajay Devgan plays the role of Bollywood Star who was there in a party where a girl was shot dead. As he comes from a good social background he stands alone against all oppositions and becomes a witness. He is quite impressive but also seems similar to his act of "Aprahan" and "Gangajal" . Pankaj Kapoor is there for his support who was once a dacoit and had surrendered after a moral transformation. The movie is enjoyable in parts, specially the confrontation scenes between Ajay Devgan and the politician father of the murderer, with some powerful dialogues inviting cheers from the viewers. But its all the way "Pankaj Kapoor" which you remember coming out of the theater for his gem of a performance. Vidya Balan has nothing to do as Ajay's wife except one good scene with the press. Whereas music is satisfactory & could have been better, the background music on the other hand enhances the impact of the scenes. The movie is tense and lacks lighter moments of good humour. Rajkumar Santoshi only manages to impress in the second half. If only the first half had been more entertaining and engrossing, it could have resulted into a better movie. "Halla Bol" lacks the complete ingredients of a blockbuster, still it's a welcome change to have a movie on social issues after "Rang De Basanti" and the movie should be watched only for one person, that's Pankaj Kapoor.

One time watch movie

[prateekarora · 5/10 · 14 January 2008]

Every time Pankaj Kapur's movie comes out, I eagerly wait to watch it. So I went to watch Halla Bol, but for the first half hour I could not decide if I am watching Halla Bol or Madhur Bhandharkar's "Page 3" or Jessica Lal murder case on some news channel. Its the same old plot, same old story. But as always Pankaj Kapur stands out. What an actor! Maqbool, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Chameli Ki Shaadi, etc., awesome movies. Hope he gets more movies, and film industry does justice to his talent.

This movie is not up to the standard of what we expect from Raj Kumar Santoshi. The person gave us awesome movies like Damini, etc. but this movie is not like those movies. As for Vidya Balan, I don't understand how is she managing to get movies. She is not a good actor, and does over acting most of the time. Looks can only take you so far, but she doesn't have talent. She has this patent face expression in most of her movies. But anyways, do watch the movie, it is a one time watch.

Good Movie

[preety-takkar · 8/10 · 17 January 2008]

What to say about Halla Bol...it is a commendable movie to watch. After a long time I have seen a movie which has so much power in it and it inspires all of us to fight against injustice. A must see film that lifts our spirits to raise our voice against crime.

I applaud the effort of the actors who did justice to their role and added strength to the movie. It is one of those rare films that motivate people of India to fight back. Ajay Devgan has given an outstanding performance. I believe that if more movies like this are made that bring social issues to limelight then the nation will be motivated to fight crime. And even if the public is not motivated, the film still conveys the message of standing up for what you believe in life and that is what I am taking from this movie. I thank the director for making an effort to reach the masses from this film.

In two words "Good Work".

Halla Bol starring Ajay Devgan & Vidya Balan

[Sherazade · 25 November 2013]

'Halla Bol' Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi (China Gate, Lajja, Pukar, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, and Khakee) is a film about recognizing what is wrong in society and standing up for what is right. Anybody who has a problem with the director's decision to cast his male lead as a sexy superstar should first refer to present day Bollywood and ask why all of India has selected and endured an average looker as their bad-shah for nearly two decades now. Okay, with that kind of an introduction, I am pleased to tell you that the movie stars Ajay Devgan as a larger than life Bollywood superstar with a rags to riches story (Shah Rukh Khan any one?) Aptly named, Sameer Khan (Devgan) has it all, the fame, the fortune, the goods & the glory. But he is also a ruthless businessman without honor, who would choose his career over his wife in a heartbeat. When the film begins we met our protagonist as he arrives at the premiere for his latest film. We are immediately introduced to the notorious two-faced world of behind-the-scenes Bollywood. What with back-stabbers at every corner and gold diggers on every street, it's the true definition of a dog-eat-dog world. However, Khan navigates through all of these would-be obstacles with such finesse and ease that it's practically second nature to him. That is until he witnesses a murder one night while out reveling with his friends and fans at a nightclub. The initial shock of witnessing such a gruesome crime coupled with the fact that he had been acquainted with the deceased young woman earlier, may be the reason why Khan then decides to keep quiet about what he had seen. When a police investigation is launched, with big star Khan implicated in the case, it instantly catches the media's attention and becomes front page news. A chanced encounter with the younger sister of the deceased forces Sameer to battle the demons within himself in order to "Halla Bol" (translated to mean "Speak Up" or "Raise Your Voice") & a media circus erupts when he steps forward to recant his testimony of not seeing anything that fateful night when indeed he had accidentally witnessed the murder.

As he ponders the implications of the new turn of events, Khan flashes back to his life before he was a superstar (with half of the movie already done, I'm sure most people –like me- were probably wondering where does Vidya Balan -- his big name co-star-- fit in to all of this?) and it is at this point where we first see Ms. Balan. She initially appears as Khan's love interest then later as his wife as the film progresses. Ms. Balan has given applause worthy performances since her debut in 'Parineeta' but she seems to have faltered with this film. No, I am not talking about the fact that this is her first (second billing) flop, I am strictly commenting on her lack luster performance in this film (she did better in her multi-starer flop 'Salaam-e-Ishq'. Maybe the fact that she was up against the stellar acting prowess of Ajay Devgan (a legendarily talented actor in his own right) had something to do with it; I don't have all the answers. All I know is that I did not like Balan in this film at all. Something just was not right.

All of the characters that we are introduced to in Sameer's flashback, now come to life to help defend his character against the forces that have turned against him(don't worry, the reason why they were initially absent from his life to begin with is explained during the flashback). The two men that Khan witnessed murdering the young party-goer turn out to be sons of prominent members of society, including a crooked politician with ties to the underworld and top-notch business mogul. This spells out trouble for superstar Khan who must now not only defend his honor but also his life as well as the lives of everyone he holds dear all in the quest for justice.

Look for blink-n-miss-it cameos by Kareena Kapoor (in a weird non- speaking role…even though u can clearly see her speaking dialogue for some strange reason her audio was muted while in conversation with other people whom we could hear…I guess they did not want to pay her LOL!), Jackie Schroff, Sridevi, Tusshar Kapoor (his was the longest cameo, he could even be considered a character in the film.) Just to mention a few. Devgan's playing a Bollywood superstar after all; he has to have star friends. Oh! And just in case you missed the fact that Santoshi directed The Legend of Bhagat Singh & Khakee (also starring Devgan in pivotal roles), he never misses an opportunity flaunt this as part of his character's Bollywood achievements. Touché!

The movies excels in its plight to establish and send a positive message (Santoshi is a pro when it come to that) but fails in its attempt to be modern and stylish. All in all, the film had its moments. Great performance by Devgan (he is such a seasoned actor that even when he plays the younger version of himself in flashback it is so believable), Darshan Jariwala also co-stars. A-

Halla Bol stinks!

[True_sherwindsa · 2/10 · 4 March 2008]

A complete waste of time

Halla Bol is a complete waste of time. The script and dialogues are poorly written, the direction is lacklustre and the acting borders on hammy.This movie was clearly aiming for the Rang De Basanti crowd but it falls far short of the mark because it does not have even one of the elements that made RDB connect with its audience_great script, terrific acting, good direction and a powerful social message that was never preached but shown.

Compared to that near-masterpiece, Halla Bol takes a step backwards by resorting to scenes such as the hero taking a leak on the villain's Persian rug and the hero's mentor staring down bullets in a truck no less! All of this might have been acceptable in the 80s when there was a downturn in movie quality and bad movies like DivyaShakti and Phool Aur Kaante became big hits, but movie-making has become_should have become_more subtle and thoughtful of late.

Rajkumar Santoshi is a capable director and I appreciate that he wants to give a social message in every movie he makes but maybe he simply does not know how to do it! He resorts to sermonizing without a care as to the audience's intelligence in understanding what he is trying to say. Maybe he should just concentrate on entertainment and leave the social messages to the Rakeysh Mehras and Aamir Khans.

Even if you don't agree with everything I say, you will agree that throughout the screening you will be thinking that Rang De Basanti was much much better and Mr.Santoshi should have left the industry-bashing to Om Shanti Om. Industry-bashing? That's right!!Santoshi has depicted the industry as a place of back-biting, bitching and the casting couch which the hero happily indulges in with a starlet curiously named Sania. There are some people who will think that these portions show the real face of the industry. Don't believe everything you see!

All in all, raise your voice against movies like this and don't spend your hard-earned money on this bomb.

* out of ****.

Kudos to RajKumar Santoshi

[jaspreet-kaur · 10/10 · 12 April 2008]

The story has been treated very well, the issue has been brought up very nicely and the way a person standing against norm has to suffer has been very well portrayed. At the same time options for a person to fight against such evils are also presented. The story also presents that we Indians are so engrossed in our daily lives and also doesn't want to be a part of any controversy even when it concerns other people life. The characters are realistic ans presented extremely. A lot of study has been done in understanding the whole case and then the characters have been developed bringing the miserable plight of all the people who were involved in the case. The director and all the actors has done a gr8 job and played their parts really well. Congrats to the whole team!!!

Watch it for Ajay!

[namashi_1 · 5/10 · 6 March 2011]

Ajay Devgn is a superb actor. He is one of the few actors who manage to speak a lot through their eyes. Having won 2 National-Awards, Devgn has proved his range time and again. And once again, in 'Halla Bol', he delivers a sincere performance.

'Halla Bol' tells the story of how a small-time, timid wanna-be actor, becomes a superstar and then how he takes his stardom for granted. But after witnessing a brutal murder, he raises his voice to prevail justice.

'Halla Bol' is an average fare. It lacks a solid/powerful script. Maverick filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi directs this story with his usual touch, but the writing here lets him down.

The first hour doesn't work. In fact, the back-story, where Ajay is shown as a timid wanna-be actor, is far from convincing. The film picks up dramatically in it's final 30-minutes. The climax is captivating & keeps you hooked. But the weak first hour, as well as the long running-time, leave you disappointed.

Acting wise, It's only Ajay who stays with you, even after the film has ended. He delivers, as mentioned, a sincere performance. And like I also mentioned before, he is a performer who speaks a lot through his eyes. Easily, amongst the best actors of Hindi Cinema. Vidya Balan gets limited scope, yet she manages to leave a mark. Pankaj Kapur is average. Darshan Jariwala is merely passable as the calculative, conniving, heartless villain. Anjan Srivastava & Anupam Shyam are excellent in their respective parts.

On the whole, 'Halla Bol' suffers from a erratic screenplay, yet I'd say to watch it for Ajay. He's worth giving this flick a shot!

Halla Bol!!!

[atharvbaluja · 8/10 · 10 May 2010]

This film is a brilliant and yet not so great a film. This film had its flaws, the story line got a bit too filmy in a few places, was not so practical... a few goofs here and there but in the end what I feel what matters is the overall feel and effect, where this film did very well.

Analyzing this film, Rajkumar Santoshi does have a habit of touching an extreme, portraying a world with people who live either in the black or the white, he tends to leave out those who reside in the greys... That is where this film lacks in the story, that it is not practical.

But the same point comes to his rescue when it comes to involving the audience in his film, it becomes much easier for a viewer to associate himself with an extreme.

The music was a part that got left out of the rain, had someone like AR Rahman done the music and the background score, the film would have got a lot more value added to it. The acting was good, with all those in the lead doing an exceptional job...

If one overlooks a few flaws this film surely makes for a great viewing, and surely does touch your heart!!!

Zor Se Bol! This is Damini!

[AvinashPatalay · 15 November 2010]

Mr. Rajkumar Santoshi needs no introduction. In a true action hero style he made an entry with a "BANG!" (read that "Ghayal"). Then he went ahead and seized up movies like "Damini", "Ghatak" and highly under-rated "Andaz Apna Apna" (PS: the rest are not worthy mentioning anyway). If you look at "Halla Bol" it clearly gives away the fact that Mr. Santoshi has run out of steam. If "Family" was yet another "Ghayal" then "Halla Bol" is definitely "Damini". This time it is Ajay Devgan who witnesses a crime and decides to stand up against it. Coming to his rescue is not a drunkard lawyer with "Dhaai-kilo ka haath" but a reformed dacoit Pankaj Kapoor. The spouse in both versions lend a moral support to the proceedings. The plot has been tweaked to incorporate bits from A.) "Bollywood Calling"/ "Om Shanti Om", B.) Power of public and C.) Jessica Lal murder case.

Ajay Devgan:: Passable considering the plagiarised plot he decided to be a party to.

Vidya Balan:: Weak character which got compensated with a few fiery sentences like "My husband has got ****". Sorry but that cheesy line made me fall out of my chair.

Pankaj Kapur:: Saving grace. Anybody else instead, there would be nothing more than a zilch in the movie.

At least the Nadeem-Sharavan's music in "Damini" was melodious here there is hardly a number that stays with you when you walk out of cinema halls.

Finally Mr. Santoshi, nobody can fill in the shoes when it comes to your pairing with Sunny Deol. Your newfound partnership with Ajay Devgan is fine but the whole thing is akin to catching a tiger in the jungle. Only that you have caught a bear and trained him to mouth "I am tiger, I am tiger!".