Humshakals Review

If you have opted to watch Sajid Khan’s Humshakals, you should know what you are getting into. It’s a Sajid Khan comedy that starts with ‘H’ and it is supposed to be filled with slapstick, illogical, in-your-face humour. You certainly don’t expect intelligent jokes and classy gags. The makers have already said that Humshakals is a nod to the Kishore Kumar and Jim Carrey brand of humour. So even if we were to take the films of these stalwarts as a standard for excellence, does Humshakals hold up? Let’s dissect.

Story: Ashok Singhania (Saif Ali Khan) is supposed to be the inheritor of a big empire in London but harbours a dream to be a stand up comedian instead. His best pal Kumar (Ritesh) is always beside him. However, Ashok’s Mamaji KANS (Ram Kapoor) hatches a plan to prove that both Ashok and Kumar are mentally ill. They end up going to a mental asylum. However, it is found out that Ashok and Kumar have evil dopplegangers in the mental asylum who are supposed to take up the places of the real Ashok and Kumar. It is also revealed to us there’s a third set of dopplegangers. And we are also made to believe that even Mamaji has two more dopplegangers. If that wasn’t confusing enough, we also have the three actresses in the film whose only job is to sing and dance, and to be a part of the planning and plotting commission.

Humshakals Review: While logic and story are not the mainstays of a Sajid Khan comedy, the dialogues and gags are certainly supposed to make the film infinitely funnier and better. However, Humshakals falls bad on its face because while watching the film it feels like the gags and dialogues were conjured up in the sets. After a bit of digging, I find out that Sajid and Ritesh recently joked about Humshakals not having a bound script. Little did anyone know that they were not even joking about it. The funny moments are few and far in between.

Humshakals
Humshakals Movie Review

If there’s anything which is of high standard in Humshakals, it is the technical aspects. The cinematography is stylish and makes Humshakals look grand. The sets and production design create a royal feel. The editing is lax. The music does not create much of an impact even though Sajid Khan has mentioned that Humshakals has the strongest music for any of his films.

Acting: The lead star of the film is Saif Ali Khan. But his performance doesn’t drive up confidence. If at all it makes the film worse because throughout the length of the film you can’t help but feel the uneasiness of the otherwise classy star. He feels misplaced and miscast, in a role that only Akshay Kumar would have done justice to. Very few actors in the industry can pull off lead characters in slapstick comedies. However, a mainstay in Sajid’s films Ritesh Deshmukh does well and enacts his roles with ease and humour. Ram Kapoor also hits the high notes with his rip-roaring comic performances. He is a revelation. Satish Shah does alright in his role. The three leading ladies don’t get much to do with Bipasha Basu shining amongst the trio. Esha Gupta and Tammanah Bhatia are awful.

Conclusion: Humshakals is annoyingly average and does not rise above the already low expectations. The lead actor is miscast in his role and cannot carry a slapstick comedy on his shoulders. It would be unfair to blame Humshakals for being illogical because the viewer should go in expecting such tropes. Humshakals is meant to work as a funny film and it is unable to do that wholly. Humshakals has a few funny moments and gags but the jokes fall flat. If you are really in the mood to spend your money on a movie this weekend, then Humshakals should be in your itinerary. If you value your money, resources, time and grey cells then steer clear.

Box Office: Humshakals will probably take an average to above average opening. The family audiences which made Sajid’s first three films such big hits can be expected to return to watch Humshakals.

Positives:

  • Some funny moments and gags are really funny
  • The sets and cinematography hold up well
  • Ritesh and Ram Kapoor are good in their six roles
  • The climax, despite its ludicrousness, is funny

Negatives:

  • Has to be Saif Ali Khan’s worst performance
  • The three leading ladies are disappointing
  • The music of Humshakals is below average
  • The dialogues are cheesy and not too humourous

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

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58 Comments

  • Holiday will collect 130cr+ …..thsi one gonna be a flop…and by the way Jumme ki raat song in Kick is a super flop song by himesh….seems like copied from somehwhere….

  • Akshay Kumar is always the bet in comedy.No one comes close to him.Hope he doesn’t work with Sajid and his family in future even if Humshakals becomes successful!!!

    Waiting for its entertainment and also about a month ago,Akshaye Rathi said he has high hopes in its entertainment than Holiday and has heard the story of its entertainment.Its release date is a problem for the film but as a fan why care about box office collections!!!

  • Feeling sad for tamanna . .she is getting crappy film after crappy film.. .SHAME on sajid khan for spoiling someone’s career.

  • varun has done variety of roles in his career. Humshakals is still better than hny,kick,bong bong.

  • Gulf news review last paragraph

    If you are willing to suspend belief for nearly three hours, then this mad bunch may make your day. But for others, it’s just torturous. At some point in the movie, we saw a DVD of Himmatwala (Sajid’s recent box-office debacle) being displayed as a weapon of torture for mentally unstable inmates who break hospital rules. Shouldn’t Humshakals feature on that list too?

  • Hahaha Sajid Khan has used Himmatwala as a torture device in the movie
    I think critics hate Sajid Khan and his movies,so waiting for public response and how it will trend!!!

  • @Indicine,there is a rift between Bibasha and Sajid Khan and bibasha wasnt promoting the movie and even they changed rude twitters with each other.do you think that will effect the Movie??

  • @ Sakhi: Mr. Sajid Khan is brother of Ms. Farhan Khan, so we expect same humour in Happy New Year. Before calling Kick flop, think what Farhan, Sajid & Sirish Kunder has to offer.

  • all critics never gave good ratings about commedy movies so this is not surprise for me.
    iam sure Hunashkala will be huge success

  • Sajid khan is dating Tammana!!! Feel sorry for her
    Now this moron Sajid has also signed Tammana for remake of 3idiots which also include Farah,Sajid and Shirish Kunder

  • Heyy Baby,HF and HF 2 were good films….it seems Sajid has done wrong not considering Akki..

    Waiting for Housefull 3 with Akshay,Riteish and Abhishek Bachchan!!! and not directed by Sajid Khan.

  • Another flop by sajid khan after himmatwaala which was one of the worst film ever produced in bollywood.now holiday will sustain very well in 3rd week.i am waiting ek villain i hope dt would be good movie………my rating goes to humshakals 1.5 out of 5.

  • Averge critics review of comedy films
    chennai express 2*
    bol bachan 1.5*
    grand masti 0.5*
    housefull 2 1.5*
    son of sardar 1.5*
    humshakals 1.5*
    critics always thumbs download comedy film but public make it boxoffice success, don’t underestimate the power of a common man

  • Sajid should quite directing movie. We have Mohit suri, Anurag basu, etc.They r enough for bollywood. Don,t need crap director in the industry.

  • Why akshay fans showing their hatred toward hamshakals. Feeling too much insecure If first day collection is better than holiday then saif is bigger star than akshay despite negative reviews.
    Sajid khan is the who revive akshay with housefull in 2010 before he has 5 flops in a row. Between housefull 1 and housefull 2 there was no hit for akshay. Now sajid khan is not doing any movie with akshay so he became worst for Akki fans.

  • Akshay has zero talent and cannot act.
    Sajid saved his career otherwise Akki would be begging. Akki would have to take a katora and go from house to house.

  • In an interview sajid said – He give three super hits 4 akshay.
    But i think now he realise who gives super hits 4 whom
    @varun-sid
    Varun & Sid r 2 films old only but acc. to u they show variety even aamir khan needs 4 movies to show all kind of variety

  • farah,sajid and shirish these 3 are worst filmmakers. sajid is nothing without akshay and his last two films are crap. shirish spoiled akshay’s career with bakwaas joker and farah is queen of crap films and hny will be crappiest of them all.

  • Humshakals as expected is irritating people..Well done Sajid.. now its ur sister’s turn to irritate people with Hakla Crappy Year this diwali…

  • Another ridiculous review from indicine.I hv never been a fan of sajid khan films but d film surprised me in a lit of way.first I didn’t expected d film to bring too many people but d 3pmmshow went almost housefull.I hoped that d film doesn’t bcm a torture like housefull1 and himmatwalaa but I was surprised to b laughing frequently throughout d film.its a paisa vasool comic flick for all ages.except saif’s ridiculous performance everything about d movie is good.critics and intellectuas hate sajid so don’t listen to them.plz watch it guys

  • Won’t b surprised if humshakaals 1st day collection almost touches that of holiday despite releasing in 800 less screens.opening weekend should b 38-40cr and lifetime 85-100cr

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