'Hawaa Hawaai' soars to great heights with Saqib Saleem and Partho Gupte

Life’s not just about crayons and cartoons for many young boys struggling to make a living on the streets of Mumbai, yet they hold no bitterness towards those who have them.

“If I go to school, then what will I feed my family with? Books?” asks the chubby Gochi, one of the five spirited street boys whose imperfect world Amole Gupte commendably pens in ‘Hawaa Hawaai’.

“They get to eat more than their tummies can fill. Their lives must be miserable,” he adds matter-of-factly.

So, when the world shuts them away by rolling up the windows of their luxury drives or renames them the street tea seller staple ‘Raju’, you understand why they accept it without putting up a fight.

For them, life isn’t about the small battles, but the bigger picture.

It’s also about the little joys that money can’t buy. It’s about sharing leftover butter chicken, handed down by a stranger on the street, or taking time off from their hardships to set flight to their friend’s skating dream.

There’s no scope for jealousy or bickering in their little planet, because they know that they have only each other to fall back on. “Let’s just deal with one dream at a time,” Gochi announces later on.

As you watch the boys scouting around the trash fields to source scrap for a skating shoe and eventually building a shoe designed with their unique, little contributions, you sense their deep bonding and sincerity.

Amole’s is an admirable movie about how a little boy steps out of his miserable life on the streets to live out his unlikely dream of a skating champion.

He’s backed by his four loyal friends, and a coach he discovers while selling tea.

After ‘Stanley Ke Dabba’, Amole perfectly pitches his son Partho again in the spotlight in ‘Hawaa Hawaai’. He’s impeccable as the little Arjun, cleverly capturing his many insecurities and vulnerabilities. Watching him shyly grin at his friend’s silliness, or worship his dad, or play with his little brother is endearing, and handled with immense maturity and talent.

Two-movie-old Saqib Saleem is Partho’s perfect match. Despite being locked in his wheel-chair, initially, he comes alive as he trains his little “champs” to swoosh and slide on their skates while the world readies for bed. He’s an idealist, unlike his older brother, and is adamant to lead a life his parents left behind. Saqib’s incredibly gifted, and coaches his “Ekalavya” with grit and passion. 

Apart from the two lead roles, it’s the four buddies that deserve applause. They each are so effortlessly charming that it’s tough to pick a favourite. Ashfaque Khan gives the chubby Gochi a loveable twist, while Salman Khan gives Bhura a shirt-less image much in line with his namesake’s Bollywood image. Tirupati Krishnapelli is lovable as the silent, trash king Murugan, and Maaman Menon weaves the perfect designs as the meticulous, bespectacled garment worker Abdul.

While Amole’s story is quite predictable, his genius lies in texturing it with instances that Hindi cinema often ignores. A street kid’s inaccessibility to food that’s nutritious isn’t framed, because the gleaming trophy is far more enticing that health drinks and fruits. But, that’s something Amole doesn’t overlook.

Even the characters aren’t stereotyped, where the chubby rich kid isn’t wicked, even though his driver is, the street bosses aren’t all mean and unhelpful, and the aged grandmother huddled in a slum isn’t always displeased and cranky.

Interestingly, Amole’s script even doesn’t let the older guy and his love-interest indulge in romance of the musical kind. Which is such a relief!

While the end hints at melodrama and an obvious ‘Bhaag Milka Bhaag’ connection, Amole manages to steer clear of turning it into regular Bollywood grab.

We recommend a trip to the cinemas, armed with a big box of tissues. Believe me, you’d thank us for it!

 

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