Powerful

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

'Halla Bol' Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi (China Gate, Lajja, Pukar, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, and Khakee) is a film about recognizing what is wrong in society and standing up for what is right. Anybody who has a problem with the director's decision to cast his male lead as a sexy superstar should first refer to present day Bollywood and ask why all of India has selected and endured an average looker as their bad-shah for nearly two decades now. Okay, with that kind of an introduction, I am pleased to tell you that the movie stars Ajay Devgan as a larger than life Bollywood superstar with a rags to riches story (Shah Rukh Khan any one?) Aptly named, Sameer Khan (Devgan) has it all, the fame, the fortune, the goods & the glory. But he is also a ruthless businessman without honor, who would choose his career over his wife in a heartbeat. When the film begins we met our protagonist as he arrives at the premiere for his latest film. We are immediately introduced to the notorious two-faced world of behind-the-scenes Bollywood. What with back-stabbers at every corner and gold diggers on every street, it's the true definition of a dog-eat-dog world. However, Khan navigates through all of these would-be obstacles with such finesse and ease that it's practically second nature to him. That is until he witnesses a murder one night while out reveling with his friends and fans at a nightclub. The initial shock of witnessing such a gruesome crime coupled with the fact that he had been acquainted with the deceased young woman earlier, may be the reason why Khan then decides to keep quiet about what he had seen. When a police investigation is launched, with big star Khan implicated in the case, it instantly catches the media's attention and becomes front page news. A chanced encounter with the younger sister of the deceased forces Sameer to battle the demons within himself in order to "Halla Bol" (translated to mean "Speak Up" or "Raise Your Voice") & a media circus erupts when he steps forward to recant his testimony of not seeing anything that fateful night when indeed he had accidentally witnessed the murder.As he ponders the implications of the new turn of events, Khan flashes back to his life before he was a superstar (with half of the movie already done, I'm sure most people –like me- were probably wondering where does Vidya Balan -- his big name co-star-- fit in to all of this?) and it is at this point where we first see Ms. Balan. She initially appears as Khan's love interest then later as his wife as the film progresses. Ms. Balan has given applause worthy performances since her debut in 'Parineeta' but she seems to have faltered with this film. No, I am not talking about the fact that this is her first (second billing) flop, I am strictly commenting on her lack luster performance in this film (she did better in her multi-starer flop 'Salaam-e-Ishq'. Maybe the fact that she was up against the stellar acting prowess of Ajay Devgan (a legendarily talented actor in his own right) had something to do with it; I don't have all the answers. All I know is that I did not like Balan in this film at all. Something just was not right.All of the characters that we are introduced to in Sameer's flashback, now come to life to help defend his character against the forces that have turned against him(don't worry, the reason why they were initially absent from his life to begin with is explained during the flashback). The two men that Khan witnessed murdering the young party-goer turn out to be sons of prominent members of society, including a crooked politician with ties to the underworld and top-notch business mogul. This spells out trouble for superstar Khan who must now not only defend his honor but also his life as well as the lives of everyone he holds dear all in the quest for justice.Look for blink-n-miss-it cameos by Kareena Kapoor (in a weird non- speaking role…even though u can clearly see her speaking dialogue for some strange reason her audio was muted while in conversation with other people whom we could hear…I guess they did not want to pay her LOL!), Jackie Schroff, Sridevi, Tusshar Kapoor (his was the longest cameo, he could even be considered a character in the film.) Just to mention a few. Devgan's playing a Bollywood superstar after all; he has to have star friends. Oh! And just in case you missed the fact that Santoshi directed The Legend of Bhagat Singh & Khakee (also starring Devgan in pivotal roles), he never misses an opportunity flaunt this as part of his character's Bollywood achievements. Touché!The movies excels in its plight to establish and send a positive message (Santoshi is a pro when it come to that) but fails in its attempt to be modern and stylish. All in all, the film had its moments. Great performance by Devgan (he is such a seasoned actor that even when he plays the younger version of himself in flashback it is so believable), Darshan Jariwala also co-stars. A-

Ajay Devgn is a superb actor. He is one of the few actors who manage to speak a lot through their eyes. Having won 2 National-Awards, Devgn has proved his range time and again. And once again, in 'Halla Bol', he delivers a sincere performance.'Halla Bol' tells the story of how a small-time, timid wanna-be actor, becomes a superstar and then how he takes his stardom for granted. But after witnessing a brutal murder, he raises his voice to prevail justice.'Halla Bol' is an average fare. It lacks a solid/powerful script. Maverick filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi directs this story with his usual touch, but the writing here lets him down.The first hour doesn't work. In fact, the back-story, where Ajay is shown as a timid wanna-be actor, is far from convincing. The film picks up dramatically in it's final 30-minutes. The climax is captivating & keeps you hooked. But the weak first hour, as well as the long running-time, leave you disappointed. Acting wise, It's only Ajay who stays with you, even after the film has ended. He delivers, as mentioned, a sincere performance. And like I also mentioned before, he is a performer who speaks a lot through his eyes. Easily, amongst the best actors of Hindi Cinema. Vidya Balan gets limited scope, yet she manages to leave a mark. Pankaj Kapur is average. Darshan Jariwala is merely passable as the calculative, conniving, heartless villain. Anjan Srivastava & Anupam Shyam are excellent in their respective parts.On the whole, 'Halla Bol' suffers from a erratic screenplay, yet I'd say to watch it for Ajay. He's worth giving this flick a shot!

This film is a brilliant and yet not so great a film. This film had its flaws, the story line got a bit too filmy in a few places, was not so practical... a few goofs here and there but in the end what I feel what matters is the overall feel and effect, where this film did very well.Analyzing this film, Rajkumar Santoshi does have a habit of touching an extreme, portraying a world with people who live either in the black or the white, he tends to leave out those who reside in the greys... That is where this film lacks in the story, that it is not practical.But the same point comes to his rescue when it comes to involving the audience in his film, it becomes much easier for a viewer to associate himself with an extreme.The music was a part that got left out of the rain, had someone like AR Rahman done the music and the background score, the film would have got a lot more value added to it. The acting was good, with all those in the lead doing an exceptional job...If one overlooks a few flaws this film surely makes for a great viewing, and surely does touch your heart!!!

This is one of the movies which will remain in my collection for lifetime, and like to watch it again and again. I am a big fan of Rajkumar Santoshi's movies except for Family which deserved nothing mark. Though he is considered as a commercial filmmaker, but the way he makes every movie has deep relations with the real world. Another example in this category is Prakash Jha.Halla Bol is about Sameer/Ashfaque, a street actor turned superstar after stepping in Mumbai's B-Town. Before he was under guidance of old aged dacoit Siddhu for fighting against social and political corruptions. But after he gained superstar position in the film industry he avoids to step in controversy as it would spoil his stardom and popularity. In that way, he faces the case for Rashmi Sahani murder case, in which he was a perfect witness. It is clear that Ajay is a favorite choice of Santoshi for casting in this kind of movies which have social messages to the citizens. Ajay and Vidya Balan couple looks great and cool. But the one who makes this movie interestingly worth a watch is Pankaj Kapoor. His convincing and motivating role as a dacoit turned reformer Siddhu is superb and deserved 10 out of 10 because only his presence takes the movie in forward. Santoshi did a brilliant job by casting such a talented actor in his project. But the most irritating role included here is of Darshan Jariwala as minister Ganpatrao. His performances look damn dull and blunt, as well it could have been prepared much more serious or lively. After all, Halla Bol cannot be as great as Santoshi's previous The Legend of Bhagat Singh or Khakee but still can be accepted as useful to the audiences. This is not for them those who simply watch movies for timepass, leisure or fun...but for them those who want to view the world's real happenings inside a movie. So it's upto audiences to consider it great or junk.I can rate it 7 out of 10.