‘Hey Kameeni’: Girl gone badass

New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) The film’s catchphrase — ‘Girl gone badass’ — sums it up very well. And this film is likely to annoy the misogynistic male who enjoyed the recent ‘Animal’-istic excess unleashed on Bollywood.

Ladies, this one’s for you. An unpredictable storyline. Refreshingly honest and relatable in its treatment.

As Writer Anjali Joshi puts it, “The story is set against an energetic millennial background and flows through their experimentation with emotions, ambitions and morality.”

Comments Director Mani Shankar, “I made a film on a young girl confronting life — she does not need villains to screw things up, she just needs to stop being afraid, get her act together and find the ‘Kameeni’ inside.”

This young woman is forced to cast away her identity and wander the streets of a city. Pretending to be a patient’s relative, she bluffs her way into a hospital waiting room, to be safe for the night. The patient dies, she takes on her identity and becomes Kamini Randhava.

A chance encounter leads to a deep yet flawed friendship with Gauri. This is a story about their tumultuous adventures, the unveiling of Kamini’s true identity and the resolution of her completely unpredictable quest.

Kamini holds all the cards, Gauri has none. She even agrees not to ask Kamini any question, but finds herself constantly guessing. Especially when strange men keep appearing and threatening Kamini with dire consequences.

Her cover blown, Kamini makes a sudden run for it, leaving behind an enraged yet heart-broken Gauri. And then begins a game of betrayals and counter-betrayals, as both women do their best to hold on to their friendship and their contrasting dreams.

“Tujhe khud ko nahin pata tu kitni badi Kameeni hai, tujh mein kitna potential hai!” Gauri’s prep talk to Kamini sums up the brilliant yet naive, honest yet manipulative Kamini.

A cast of talented newcomers amongst actors and music composers sets the tone completely in variance with the recent deliberations on nepotism in Bollywood. The writers Anjali Joshi and Mani Shankar have ensured the pace and intrigue never stops. The suspense endures till the very end.

Debutant music composer Rinki Sharma’s soulful ‘Tu Hai Kahan’ will stay with you and certainly make its way into the playlists. ‘Dice’ by debutant Japanese music composer and singer, Ken Goma, has a unique soulful sound. Here is a music composer to look out for.

The title track ‘Hey Kameeni’ by Eddie is peppy and a perfect fit for the spirit of the film.

An entertaining watch that will leave you with a smile.

Film: Hey Kameeni (Streaming on JioCinema) Duration: 110 minutes

Cast: Aasheema Vardaan; Drishika Chander Director: Mani Shankar

Script & Screenplay: Mani Shankar and Anjali Joshi

–IANS

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