Desi Today Magazine
THE much-awaited movie of Shehnaaz Gill, Diljit Dosanjh, and Sonam Bajwa ‘Honsla Rakh’ has finally arrived at the big screens. It has taken a bumper opening in Punjab and around the world and it’s expected to shatter previous records. And if the public reviews are anything to go by, it already seems to be a blockbuster. The movie made for one of the biggest releases in India as well with over 375 theatres screening the film. With theatres having re-opened in India and in Canada after the lockdowns, Diljit and Shehnaaz fans have thronged to watch their favourites on the big screen. This is Shehnaaz’s first release after the sudden death of her reported beau Sidharth Shukla in September.
The Punjabi rom-com stars Diljit Dosanjh, Shenaaz Gill, Sonam Bajwa and Shinda Grewal.
The movie has also earned main producer Diljit Thind, a prominent Vancouver businessman, accolades. One prestigious Indian newspaper wrote: “Thind continues to bring quality Punjabi cinema to the masses and is also actively involved with a number of upcoming projects including Sher Bagga, Jodi and Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua 2.”
The romantic comedy narrates story of a single father played by Diljit who is gets a divorce from his wife even before their son is born. The single father then goes around looking for a mother for his son and a companion for himself. What follows is an emotional and humour-full journey, that of a father and his son, between a man and a woman and eventually between a woman and her son.
Set in Canada, ‘Honsla Rakh’ starts in flashback as Yenkey Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) has a chance encounter with his ex-wife, Sweety (Shehnaaz Gill). As Sweety is curious to know why Yenkey did not remarry, the story goes back to the beginning of their marriage and sequences leading to their divorce, even though Sweety was carrying Yenkey’s child. Shehnaaz, who plays an ambitious young woman.
The central character in the film is Honsla, Diljit’s son, played by Shinda Grewal. Son of actor Gippy Grewal, while this is not Shinda’s first outing as a child actor, in this film Shinda is winning hearts with his effortless acting, without losing the innocence of a child of seven. As he goes about helping his dad in pursuing Jasmine, even while remaining hidden from her sight, Shinda is the other lead hero in ‘Honsla Rakh’. If the father-son bond has convinced you in the film, Shinda takes the credit as much as Diljit. The comedy is just enough to keep the focus on romance and the emotions, and entertaining with its straightforward references.
And as soon as Shehnaaz Gill enters, a personal connection was felt because we know (the audience had come for her). A back story is shown when Diljit and Shehnaaz were a couple. Shehnaaz’s character Sweety was not happy with her life and their unplanned child. Also, what she aimed in her life is again a funny story. Now, when we have Shehnaaz and Diljit sharing screen space, you expect the film to be romantic. The director doesn’t disappoint you on this count. He takes you back to the old days when Yanky and Sweety were a happy married couple. Shehnaaz wins hearts and makes her fans fall in love with her again. She deserves so much more recognition; she is not only effortlessly beautiful, but so talented.
The we are introduced to a yoga instructor, Sonam Bajwa (Jasmine). As Yanky was finding for a partner to get settle with, he couldn’t control himself to get in touch with a hot and gorgeous girl. In the starting, Diljit’s character jokes ‘lasagna ke ander mooli wale paranthe’ as he wants to find a ‘foreigner mummy’ for Honsla.
Director Amarjit Singh Saron has used Diljit’s comic timing to the hilt. Diljit is a natural actor. He is also one of the producers of Honsla Rakh.
So in case you are still waiting to watch it, this weekend go and have a blast in your nearby cinemas. The movie will not disappoint.
