HOPE & A LITTLE SUGAR
FOR THAT TOUCHING SWEET LITTLE HOPE & BELIEF
by Vishal Verma

Rating:

What is it?
Ah Hah! Can you convey the sweet little message of coexistence without shouting and delivering speech over the top? Can you contemplate how at various moments and thresholds of our life we experience different kinds of bonds and emotional attachments with different kinds of people, no matter who they are & what faith they follow? Can you strike a chord among audiences by giving a piece of art that touches your heart? And all this at one go? Tanuja Chandra’s ‘Hope & A Little Sugar’ does that. Well done Tanuja, ‘Ab Meetha Ho Jaye’!.

The writer director who was previously appreciated for her work in ‘Sangarsh’ ‘Sur’ & ‘Dushman’ can feel proud for her first ‘crossover’ effort directed towards the concerning audience who follow the culture of cinema.

It’s certainly a commendable factor that the film has more layers to offer then those 9/11 dramas which has been bombarded continuously every now & then from the west. Cause it not only deals with the self-defeating irrational cynicism against a particular community but also tones the human relationships against the setback of 9/11 very effectively. And twines them well. 

Ultimately, this drama, is more apparent than real, the fact is, it’s a study in contrasts and a story of survival.

It has its flaws (though it can’t be ignored) but the pros overpower the cons substantially   in the end.

What is it all about?
Set in New York in the weeks before and after 9/11, this poignant tale of love set against the forces of hate and intolerance centers on the romance between an aspiring Muslim photographer – Ali Siddiqui (Amit Sial – promising debut) and a young Sikh woman - Saloni (Mahima Chaudhry – less kilos and more charm).

Ali meets the beautiful but married Saloni a charismatic mithaai shop owner who encourages Ali's photography and becomes his muse. Despite Ali's secret and largely unrequited crush on Saloni, he develops a close friendship with her and her husband Harry (Vikram Chatwal – fine). But when tragedy strikes with the terrorist attacks on Sept 11, 2001, her father-in-law, a retired army Colonel (Anupam Kher – suave), devastated by grief and anger, directs his longstanding animosity towards Muslims at Ali, as the young man's affection for Saloni grows increasingly evident.

The colonel comes to terms when he realizes & experience the wrath personally when some ‘goras’ irrationally & ignorantly take him as a terrorist mistakably going by his beard. The belief to coexist follows in the end with a sweet sugar of hope.

What to look out for?
Compelling story telling by Tanuja of her own script, well supported by her co-writer also one of the producer Glenn Russow.

Anupam Kher – the suave actor excels once again in the role in which he portrays the emotions which such ease, earlier in the film he is full of life and jovial and later turns into a cynic, who starts hating a person just because he is from a particular community.

Mahima Chaudhry looks charming after a shedding those kilos & gives a lovely performance.

Amit Sial shows promise as an actor, he can be versatile if he works on that stillness.

Suhasini Mulay Vikram Chatwal & a well known face in indie cross over films Ranjit Chowdhry do chip in with adequate support.

What not?
The first encounter between Amit & Mahima lacks logic and is appears to be forced. The premise of their meeting is shaky when we come to know that Mahima knows that Amit is not Gurpreet, orpreet whoever.

Recommended: Certainly for those who follow the culture of good cinema.

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