Hisaab Barabar Movie Review: Ashwni Dhir’s Hisaab Barabar is inspired by real-life corporate bank scams that fleece ordinary folks, and is about one among them being David to take down this mighty Goliath. It is an interesting premise that could have made for a strong social drama if handled well. Ashwni Dhir also layers Hisaab Barabar with humour in many of the film’s moments. Unfortunately, despite R Madhavan’s earnest performance, this hazily done combo of humour and drama dilutes the social impact of what the movie was aiming for. ‘Hisaab Barabar’: R Madhavan and Neil Nitin Mukesh Starrer Premieres at IFFI 2024, Unveiling a Fight Against Financial Corruption.
Radhe (R Madhavan) is a single father and an honest TTE working for Indian Railways who is also quite good with numbers. When he finds a nominal reduction in the interest that his bank gave him, Radhe decides to file a complaint that everyone laughs about, considering the meagre amount he is demanding.
But Radhe stumbles upon a scam worth thousands of crores propagated by the bank’s owner, Mickey Mehta (Neil Nitin Mukesh), with the help of a corrupt minister (Manu Rishi Chadhha). The rest of Hisaab Barabar is about whether a common man like Radhe manages to expose this scam despite nearly the whole system being against him.
Watch the Trailer of ‘Hisaab Barabar’:
‘Hisaab Barabar’ Movie Review – Uneven Satire
Hisaab Barabar is the kind of movie that you want to root for and is annoyed when you are unable to do so. It has a hero that you could relate to, a simple everyday man fighting the corrupt using a system that is reluctant to help him out. Instead of, you know, being an alpha male and shooting everything down. In the hands of a dependable Madhavan, the character of Radhe also rests easy.
A Still From Hisaab Barabar
There are moments where it attempts to insert some political satire, though I am confused as to which side it is playing at. I mean, there are mentions of how everything is free in Delhi, and there is also mention of Kejriwal, by name, making public transport free for women. And yet, these mentions of freebies are dropped at the cost of showing how the public is apathetic to itself and how they are willing to overlook bigger scams that potentially harm them in the long run. Not to mention, the corrupt minister has large pictures of Mahatma Gandhi in his plush residence, and it is not hard to guess which party he is NOT aligned with. Year-Ender 2024: From R Madhavan in ‘Shaitaan’ to Raghav Juyal in ‘Kill’, 10 Best Onscreen Villains Who Menaced Bollywood This Year!
‘Hisaab Barabar’ Movie Review – Tonally Inconsistent
Yet, despite its relatable protagonist and a relatable plot, Hisaab Barabar feels patchily directed and edited and struggles hard to get its tone right. Just see the portions involving the villain; the movie wants to present him as this formidable antagonist who can bring down fire on the hero if needed, and yet he and his acolytes also engage in buffoonery, like Mehta dancing in the middle of the road in front of Radhe to the tune of his bank’s theme song. It is quite a ludicrous moment that might have been there to show off the nonchalance of the character, but it feels too silly to watch.
A Still From Hisaab Barabar
Similarly, the track involving Rashmi Desai’s neighbour, who also babysits Radhe’s kid, isn’t as funny as the movie thinks it is, or she is, but kinda grates on your patience. The presence of these randomly added comedy bits makes it difficult to take seriously the protagonist’s difficult journey towards justice. We see him face trouble at work, we see his house get partly JCB-ed, we see him get harassed by the cops, and yet it is tough to feel bad for him because the movie doesn’t let us do so thanks to it not getting its tone right and the drama tight.
This also applies to its lazily written, rushed finale where the ‘common man’ rises to give it back to the financial scamsters with a bit of a heist that came out of nowhere, and makes you question how that was even pulled off.
A Still From Hisaab Barabar
The movie is also laden with convenience, like Radhe stumbling upon the bank statement of a passenger with the same issue, or how a certain agency immediately acts upon his complaint with just a simple email. If only things were so easy in ‘New India’, as the movie keeps reminding you through visual motifs throughout. Then there are times when the movie forces drama where it is not needed, like whatever was going on with him and his love interest, played by Kirti Kulhari, who also happens to be the investigating officer in his complaint.
‘Hisaab Barabar’ Movie Review – Final Thoughts
There are a couple of moments where the film occasionally shines, like Radhe explaining to his colleagues at a mall how big a scam the bank is running on them through maths. Unfortunately, Hisaab Barabar needed more than a couple of moments and a watchable lead performance to make a true impact with its albeit relevant plot. Not even the predictable and preachy monologue of the hero in the climax could do anything to shake it up. Hisaab Barabar is streaming on Zee5 from January 24, 2025.
(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of Today News 24.)
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Jan 23, 2025 06:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).