There are very few Bobby Deol fans and one of them happens to be my sister. In fact, I believe that she may actually solely be a part of the Bobby Deol fan club. However, the youngest Deol does manage to bag films and every so often we do manage to see the actor come out with some-what decent performance ala 23 March 1931: Shaheed, Humraaz, Tango Charlie, Apne and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. There are some actors who try as many times as they can to find their place in the industry and somehow, Bobby Deol has found himself displaced. The actor is back yet again hoping for the nth time that his film will work at the box-office and gain him a speck of credibility. We’ve seen Samir Karnik jut out some interesting movies, Kyun…! Ho Gaya Na and Heroes being the two of them. Adding to his small lineage is his latest giving, Vaada Raha…I Promise. The film houses Bobby Deol who is in dire need of a hit, Kangna Ranaut who is shedding the psycho avatar for a change, and Atul Agnihotri, yes he does still exist! Ready to see if Karnik gets it right this time? Check it out.
Dr. Duke Chawla (Bobby Deol) is a successful Cancer specialist who has it all; beautiful girlfriend (Kangna Ranaut), awards galore and a pet dog. Life goes into rock-bottom mode when he gets into a car accident and is paralyzed leaving him miserable and girlfriend-less. Admitted in a hospital he loses the motivation to live and chooses to waste his life away. He is then befriended by a young boy named Roshan (Dwij Yadav), who teaches him to live again after much resistance from Dr. Chawla. Alive and kicking, Dr. Chawla decides to head back to the cancer practice in hopes to help little Roshan’s sister who is supposedly dying of an incurable disease.
The storyline is unique and heart touching. And yes, I awed and cooed over many sweet scenes between Bobby and the young Dwij but honestly, the story has nothing worth talking about really. Karnik probably looked to attack the sentimental audiences who normally gush over such subjects, but the film neither attracts or moves the viewer. Of course the film has its moments where you do need to pull out a tissue and wipe a tear. Especially the scenes between Dr. Duke and Roshan, which have been executed very well and are the highlight of the film. Technically the fault doesn’t lie within Karnik but more so with the half-baked plot and script.
Performance wise Bobby Deol comes out with a powerhouse performance filled with emotion and just enough feeling. The connection that the director and his muse, Bobby, have is obvious, as they have worked together previously. The actor is on top with his intelligent performance. Kangana Ranaut is wasted in this role, which is a shame because she is definitely a good performer. A sheer squander of talent especially after her blow-out performance in Fashion. The young Dwij Yadav is simply too fabulous! A bundle of ability-watch out for him in his upcoming films. Monesh Bahl is apt.
Some of the instances in the film seem entirely improbable and unrelatable. For example, the sequences where Roshan is explaining life and its philosophies to Dr. Duke seem totally inappropriate and unlikely. The music is a drab and doesn’t work.
Vaada Raha promises nothing and delivers zilch. If you must watch this, DVD is the way to go.
