Himmatwala
2013 · Directed by Sajid Khan
Original language: Hindi
- action
- comedy
- drama
The story
When a temple priest commits suicide after being dishonored by an evil landlord, his son returns to his native village on a mission of vengeance.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated studio colour and broad, theatrical staging: rural village sets in dusty ochre and sun-baked yellow, lurid pinks and greens in the song sequences, and wide, flat frames that favour the performers over subtle lighting. Sound is loud and emphatic, with brassy dhol-and-synth scoring, big percussive hits on every punchline and punch, and sudden swells that signal each comic beat. The pace is brisk and uneven, lurching between slapstick, melodrama and set-piece action, so the mood keeps flipping from giddy to grim. Its emotional register is exaggerated and broadly comic, with a revenge arc in which a grieving young man, a comically overpowered hero, takes on a corrupt landlord and his goons. Violence is frequent and cartoonish: stylised fights with lots of thrown bodies and slow-motion stunts, rarely gory, though a suicide and some threats sit in the background. It suits a lazy weekend with friends or a loud, playful evening when you want big masala energy and don't mind the silliness. It is for viewers who enjoy over-the-top Bollywood action comedy, larger-than-life heroes and unapologetic camp.
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