'Haseena Parkar' Review: Shraddha Kapoor's best efforts can't save the film

Film: Haseena Parkar

Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhanth Kapoor, Ankur Bhatia

Director: Apoorva Lakhia

What's it about:

The stories of heroes are as important as the stories of villains. Starting with Raees this year, followed by Daddy — based on the life of Arun Gawli — and this week, a film that showcases the life of don Dawood Ibrahim’s sister, Haseena Parkar, who was accused of running his brother’s underworld business in Mumbai after he left the country. While both aforementioned films had male protagonists, this film rests on Haseena's (Shraddha Kapoor) delicate shoulders. Being the elder sister of the Bhai (Siddhanth Kapoor) earns her the title of Aapa. The film is about her life, her pain and her struggle. 

What's hot:

The film begins by establishing the bond that Dawood and his sister share. The chemistry between real-life siblings translates well on reel. The story is told simply and is fast paced. It's a fascinating story, we wish it was told better. 

What's not:

At one point in the movie, the judge yells, "Enough is enough." As an audience, you are bound to feel the same. The problem with biopics in B-Town is that they tend to be an exercise to whitewash all the blemishes of the protagonist. The movie tries to portray her as a victim of circumstances and thereby justifying her actions. There's also no doubt the world she lived in was far murkier than the one-sided, simplistic view that Apoorva Lakhia offers. Parkar comes across as the female version of Robinhood. The problem is also that it's a superficial attempt at telling her story. It never digs deep into the soul of either Haseena or her brother Dawood.

Shraddha Kapoor is horribly miscast. Prosthetic makeup is supposed to be an additional aid for an actor, but here it becomes a hindrance for Shraddha. The actress goes from an overly-expressive young Haseena to a stone-faced Aapa. The transition isn't smooth, though she does try her best. Unfortunately, she never really becomes Aapa. Siddhanth is earnest, but there is no standout performance here. The movie falters in various departments. The dialogues are cheesy and are borderline juvenile at times. Shraddha's makeup is patchy and inconsistent. Blatant brand placement, especially of a jewellery and water brand that probably didn't exist in that era, is an eyesore. All this ends up making Haseena Parkar one of the weakest gangster movies to hit the screens. 

What to do:

If you want to spend money on one film this week, it should be Newton.

Rating: **