After two heavy doses of war movies which failed to impress the Punjabi audience much, this Vaisakhi we welcome the much-awaited ‘Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua’ – touted as the first film on the contentious subject of Demonetisation! Dealt in a comic manner, the film directed by Ksshitij Chaudhary and penned by Dheeraj Rattan, showcases the effect of infamous ‘notebandi’ – an economic reform that shook the entire nation about a year and a half ago – on the lives of middle class families and how many lives got changed in the process.
The film revolves around Neeta (Harish Verma) and Mishri (Simi Chahal), the son and daughter of Mr. Sachdeva (Jaswinder Bhalla) and Mr. Aneja (B.N. Sharma) respectively. The two families hold immense grudges against each other despite residing in the same locality. While Sachdeva owns a cloth shop, Aneja is a sweet-shop owner. However, despite heavy rivalry between them due to the coveted ‘Pradhan’ title in the market committee, there are some twists, which bring their children together. But do they stay together or leave is something to watch out for!
Although GOLAK BUGNI BANK TE BATUA starts on a promising note with a backdrop of Punjab of 1978 when Rs 1000 notes were scrapped by the then government, the continuous switching back and forth between the old Punjab and the present Punjab plot doesn’t appeal much and the audience is left confused most of the times. The reason being weak screenplay and lack of connectivity between the two. An apt screenplay could have done wonders though.
Talking about the performances, that’s in fact, the strongest point of the film followed by quirky punches. It’s a treat to watch Harish Verma playing a boy-next-door role with such aplomb. In fact, in some scenes, it’s not his dialogues but the eyes and expressions that do the talking, which just goes to show how good an actor he is! Simi Chahal is such a brilliant actor. The girl fits her role perfectly and her chemistry with both Harish Verma and B.N. Sharma (playing the role of her father) is awesome! Jaswinder Bhalla and B.N. Sharma are in their full forms in the film. The supporting cast also fares well with their parts.
Another big highlight of the film is Amrinder Gill and Aditi Sharma in a special appearance as Bhola and Chhindi. The heart automatically blooms when you see Amrinder Gill on the big screen and his beautiful chemistry with Aditi brings back the memories of ‘Angrej’.
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Inarguably, the film’s witty dialogues and performances are the highlights of the film. The weak screenplay and lack of continuity in the scenes are a letdown though. As a side note, our sources reveal that the film has suffered hugely to the censor cuts, understandably due to the ‘notebandi’ issue.
Finally, just like Rhythm Boyz Entertainment’s other films, Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua leaves one with a very special social message as well. This time it’s on the prevailing dowry system, something that’s really needed!
In a nutshell, Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua is a perfect one-time watch with your family. A paisa-wasool movie that deserves special points for attempting a subject like Demonetisation! It certainly requires guts since going against the government in today’s times comes with all the risks.
Critic Rating: 3/5
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