Movie Review: Bumm Bumm Bole – Strictly Average

Posted by admin on May 16th, 2010 | 0 comments

Bumm Bumm Bole is a remake of the brilliant Iranian film ‘Children of Heaven’ directed by the Iranian film-maker Majid Majid. But this remake is not a patch on the illustrious work in the original. Priyadarshan’s take on the 1997 Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Film is set in the North East India, Shillong.

Story of Bumm Bumm Bole: Pinu(Darsheel) and Rimjhim( Ziyah) are children of an impoverished tea laborer Atul(Atul Kulkarni) and his wife (Rituparna Sen Gupta). After losing her sister’s shoes in a market, Pinu who is scared that he will be caught and given an earful by his parents, decides to look around for a new pair of shoes. His poor family cannot afford to buy a new pair so he decides to take part in a marathon where the third runner-up can take home brand new shoes. However, it is not a smooth sailing and there are many challenges that come Pinu’s way. Besides, there is also a terrorist plot somewhere in the plot that is waiting to unleash and disrupt the peace of this humble town

What’s good about Bumm Bumm Bole: Priyadarshan succeeds in creating the right milieu for the film. Uncannily, he does not really say it is Shillong and it appears by mistake when one character in the middle of the movie says ‘Shillong’. He also succeeds in capturing the innocence of the children’s lives very well. Darsheel Safary is brilliant as expected and the new find Ziyali has an endearing charm and screen presence that will be a favorite with many in the audiences.

What’s not so good about Bumm Bumm Bole: The pace of the movie is slow; there is a long wait before things actually start happening. Priyan takes quite a lot of time to come to the point, whch is the biggest flaw in the film. He has established the character and he might as well get on with the subject, this is a natural reaction that many in the audiences will feel. There are some scenes that are repetitive, lethargic and monotonous like the children exchanging shoes. The climax looks contrived and an excuse to showcase the brand of a footwear and health drink as the camera focuses sharply on them. Rituparna Sen Gupta does not have much of a role in the film. God knows,why the director put the terrorist angle, it does not do anything to move the film ahead. The second half definitely needed editing.

Performances in Bumm Bumm Bole: The children save the day. Both Darsheel Safary and Ziyah Vastani are brilliant and it is a treat to watch them

Conclusion: Bumm Bumm Bole is nowhere near the 1997 classic, Children of Heaven. A long second half and a slow grip of the film make a seemingly interesting film, a boring proposition