A FILM WITH LOTS OF GLITCHES BUT LEAVES AN IMPRESSION
By Pankaj Shukla
Critic's I-view
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There have been many films that deal with supernatural powers, both in Hollywood and Bollywood. But most of them deal with the problem of living people fearing departed souls. 'Hum Kaun Hain' does look like a bore story in the beginning. But it is the climax that comes as a jolt. The end is more on the line of Hollywood flick 'Sixth Sense' (Bruce Willis and Haley Osborne). But Nicole Kidman starrer 'The Others' inspires the main plot of the film. This is also a landmark for director Ravi Shankar Sharma who hails from Srinagar. Amitabh Bachchan brought him to Mumbai and he worked as his personal assistant for long. Bachchan requested Yash Chopra to make him his assistant. Sharma assisted Chopra in various films and made his debut some years back with Jackie Shroff-Madhu starrer 'Mulaqaat'. 'Hum Kaun Hain' sees a vertical progression for the director.
'Hum Kaun Hain?' deals with supernatural themes in a totally different manner. The story revolves around one Sandra (Dimple Kapadia) who lives with his kids in an isolated mansion. His husband Major Frank Williams (Amitabh Bachchan) has not returned home after he left for the war. Sandra's daughter (Hansika) encounters with some unknown people roaming around in the house. As no one else can see them it becomes very difficult for the little child to prove her point.
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The mystery deepens more when Mrs Pinto (Mausmi Chatterjee) arrives in the mansion as housekeeper with a maid and a gardener. These characters behave in such a manner that makes Sandra suspicious about them. To get rid of about the happenings in her mansion, she visits Father of a church to bless her home. On the way she meets in the woods Frank, who looks jaded and tired. She brings Frank to home but Frank does not seem to be happy with the company of these people. He seeks help of his friends Veerender (Dharmendra) to solve the mystery.
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Frank says he was never married and wonders how come there people who claim to be his wife and kids. Things get shadier when Sandra comes face to face with the people that she has been chasing for a long. And, things go worse when her kids find out that Mrs Pinto and her associates are ordinary people. The plot attracts viewers' attention and when it starts unwinding the secret opens as a shock not only to viewers but also to the most of the characters.
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Producer Soni Juneja needs applaud for his daring and trend breaking debut film. Son of famous producer Tito, who made films like 'Mr. Natwarlal' and 'Ram Balram', also gets credit to bring Bachchan and Dharmendra together on screen after 24 years. 'Hum Kaun Hain' grows with the plot unfolding. The film does look stale in some parts. The setting and art direction do not make it look like a big star cast film.
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The story progression in the beginning is slow and one gets suspicious about the capability of the director. But Sharma brings in many surprises in post- interval part. Scenes where the kids discover about real identity of house workers and when Sandra encounters for the first time the invaders in her surroundings show that he is an apt choice for directing such a film. Sharma's story telling style borrows inspirations from films of the past, but he sticks to the fact that at no given point any viewer can judge as to what is going to happen next. And, this makes him a winner.
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Technically 'Hum Kaun Hain' may not be a very good film as it has neither been shot on exotic foreign locales nor does it have special effects. The film has just one base and that it's story. There are no songs in the films except some interludes sung by Amitabh Bachchan. It also does not have ugly ghosts who have blood dripping from their teeth all the time. The film travels from living world to world of dead people. Most of the characters of the film just walk on the thin line. Dimple has made a strong comeback with a strong and powerful role. Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra are part of the story and they must have paid back to the director's father for the latter's obligations to them. The film will always be remembered as an integral part of the filmography of all associated with it and even if it may not set the cash register ringing, it will certainly not be a loser either. 'Hum Kaun Hain' is a bilingual movie. Its Bengali version sees return of Big B to Bangla film after decades. The only other film that Big B did for Bhadralok is 'Anusandhan'.
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