Over the weekend I eagerly watched HB-2, I sort of liked the freshness of Hyderabad Blues-1. But, what a dumb movie this turned out to be - I kept wincing about the sorry acting, pathetic screenplay and corny dialogues. Funny thing is I didn’t mind it the first time - maybe because I saw it as an “indie” effort, and now view it as a “studio” effort. Nonetheless - it was very bad this time around.

The new Ashwini (they couldn’t get the old girl to act again) looked like a monster on makeup - as if Nakesh decided to make a stone act. She takes illogical decisions and sticks to it - but of course in the climax she inexplicably changes her mind - all her convictions thrown out of the window - how? ask the director. First she is a staunch fanatic feminist - even goes through a (flippant) divorce - but a tight close-up of the hero and some violin music in the back - she runs back into the arms of the hero crying “I am sorry - forgive me” - huh???

I just wanted it to end - there is no shortage of eye sore - same old pallu dropping, same old dialogues, beaten to death jokes (dil pe mat le yaar..), unnecessary gay doctor, sexual harassment angle, and politically correct hero (things would have made a lot of sense if he had had a real affair, instead of a mere brush)

The only positive things about this sorry sequel is Seema (friends wife), Nakesh’s ultra realistic parents and to a limited amount Nakesh and his buddy. This time he had a bigger budget, a bigger canvas, fancy cameras, larger unit - but goes on to prove that its hard to re-create freshness. Just for his sake he should have stopped at HB-1 - now I will remember him for his HB2.

2/5