Haseena Parkar is ultimately inconsequential. The court room scenes suggest a pitch that is too old fashioned for Bollywood now. But none of the merits of Ahluwalia's more serious, intense meditation on character is borrowed here. Predictably, the worlds cross, with mention of a shooting in JJ Hospital involving Arun Gawli's gang. The audience and some 50-odd people around the courtroom are probably saying, "Not us!"Ĭast: Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhanth Kapoor, Priyanka SetiaĪfter Ashim Ahluwalia's Daddy from few weeks ago, we have another film set in the same world, featuring a murder in an elevator. During an objection, the judge even proclaims that, unfortunately, he is paid to listen to both the sides. Haseena Parkar is a Wikipedia article at best.
Later in the film, the defence asks the prosecutor whether she's arguing a case or dictating a news report. If the film had a collar, we would hold that tight and ask the same. Is this a case in court or a stage play? The judge and the defence wonder why the prosecution is not getting to the point. The prosecutor (Priyanka Setia in a thankless role) begins her questioning. The real one stands up and walks towards the witness stand. The convoy arrives in court and everyone wonders which one is Haseena Parkar. Each with a burqa clad woman riding in the backseat. We then see a convoy of Mumbai's black and yellow taxis. The newsrooms are wondering if it is Parkar's power or the law's weakness that has let her off the hook. The hearing is about to begin but there is no sign of Haseena Parkar (Shraddha Kapoor). Director Apoorva Lakhia (screenplay by Suresh Nair) uses the courtroom and the court proceedings as a storytelling session for his biopic of Haseena Parkar, extortionist and sister of Dawood Ibrahim. Not often do we see a film unintentionally making a meta joke, an unfortunate circumstance considering the film wears this conceit proudly on its sleeve.