Hulla

Hulla is a light-hearted Bollywood comic drama that was beautifully brought to life in 2008 by director Jaideep Varma. The film showcases the powerhouse performances of Sushant Singh, Rajat Kapoor and Kartika Rane, among others, in a story that neatly navigates between the humorous and the thought-provoking.

The film revolves around the life of Raj Puri (Sushant Singh) and his wife Abha (Kartika Rane). Raj Puri is a stockbroker, who is hard-working and successful but finds solace from his fast-paced professional life in the calmness of his home. Abha is a devoted wife and a freelance journalist by profession. They are a loving couple who are content with their life until a seemingly petty issue starts gnawing away at their peaceful existence. It's a familiar storyline that many urban dwellers can relate to, but with a unique twist.

Hulla focuses on a problem faced by the city's apartment-dwelling population: noise pollution. This everyday nuisance is made the crux of the film and drives the story forward. The repetitive mundane noise of a security whistle becomes the bone of contention, and the couple's life is upended as they struggle to deal with this constant disturbance. Raj, who values his peace and quiet fiercely, becomes particularly affected by this incessant noise pollution.

Singh exhibits a remarkable performance, transforming from a calm, peace-loving man into someone gradually disturbed and eventually driven to the brink of madness by the nerve-racking daily noise. Rane, on the other hand, beautifully captures the role of an understanding spouse who empathizes with her husband's dilemma while also dealing with her own frustrations.

Playing a crucial role in the movie is Rajat Kapoor, a character with a completely contrasting attitude to life, representing the other half of the urban population who are almost indifferent to such issues. The subtle rivalry and eventual faceoff between Puri and Kapoor infuses the film with tension and laughter, making it an exciting watch.

And amidst all this chaos, the film subtly introduces us to the larger question of social indifference and enduring inconveniences in the name of maintaining peace. The friction between personal peace and community peace is beautifully showcased, tackling a common issue that is usually overlooked but impacts millions of lives.

Hulla presents an interesting ensemble of supporting characters too, each playing their part in escalating the narrative's tension. Their involvement gives the film a realistic appeal. It presents a slice of life, as it were, with a mix of complex characters that balance the storyline's humour and gravity.

The film's genuine situational comedy, lightly flavoured with sarcasm, upholds the underlying laughter-worthy drama. The screenplay is tight and moves at a brisk pace to keep audiences hooked. The dialogues have been crafted with care, sharp and relatable, whether it's the couple's occasional banter or the protagonist's arguments with his society members.

While it is primarily a humorous take on a serious matter, Hulla does a commendable job of highlighting the real-life struggle of city dwellers dealing with noise pollution. The movie is undoubtedly a comedy, but it also subtly underlines the effects of noise pollution, inducing a much-needed wake-up call to viewers.

The movie's engaging plot, moments of genuine hilarity, and meaningful message make it a must-watch. While it uses comedy as its key storytelling tool, the movie does not miss its chance to satirically jab at the larger issues of societal apathy and our tolerance for disturbances in our own lives.

Hulla is a tale of everyday life and its complications. It's about laughter and frustrations, about sanity and madness, about noise and silence, beautifully interwoven with fine performances and an excellent script. Overall, Hulla is a well-crafted film serving laughter and light, presenting an undeniably real picture of an urban society's challenges and its effects on their lives.