Be Happy on Prime Video stars Abhishek Bachchan in a heartfelt role, but Remo D’Souza’s dance-drama fails to strike a chord. Read our full review on why this film lacks rhythm, soul, and spark.
🎬 Introduction: When Dance Meets Drama, But the Energy Goes Missing
Director Remo D’Souza, best known for his flamboyant dance-dramas (ABCD, Street Dancer 3D), returns with Be Happy, a film that attempts to blend emotion and choreography into an underdog story. This time, Abhishek Bachchan plays a grieving single father who initially rejects, and later supports, his daughter’s dream of dancing. But even with good intentions and heartfelt performances, the film stumbles at nearly every step.
🧠 Plot: Dreams, Drama & Dance That Doesn’t Dazzle
Shiv Rastogi (Abhishek Bachchan) is a widower raising his daughter Dhara (Inayat Verma), who aspires to become a dancer. Haunted by personal loss and bitter memories, Shiv discourages her dream. But after a series of emotional nudges—including from Dhara’s school and her influencer dance teacher Maggie (Nora Fatehi)—he slowly begins to reconsider.
What follows is a painfully predictable journey, including school talent shows, dance auditions, emotional flashbacks, and even a Father’s Day dance duet. The story follows a well-worn template, with no fresh take or surprising twist.
🎭 Performances: Abhishek is Earnest, But the Script Doesn’t Help
Abhishek Bachchan brings genuine heart to his role. He expresses grief, hesitation, and affection with subtlety, much like his recent standout performance in I Want to Talk. But here, the script fails him. His lines often lack nuance, and the character arc feels forced.
Inayat Verma as Dhara has a few sweet moments, but is burdened with dialogue far too mature for her age. Her exaggerated maturity becomes distracting rather than endearing.
Nora Fatehi, meant to be the “cool mentor,” adds little beyond flashy presence. Even her dance numbers lack impact.
🎵 Dance Sequences: All Shine, No Spark
In a Remo D’Souza film, you expect jaw-dropping choreography. Unfortunately, Be Happy delivers forgettable routines framed by exaggerated crowd reactions rather than actual performance quality.
Scenes focus more on audience expressions than the dancing itself, undercutting any potential thrill. Ironically, reality shows where Remo appears as a judge offer more captivating moves than this film.
Even Nora’s routines and Abhishek’s moments on stage fall flat, failing to deliver either character depth or dance spectacle.
📝 Writing & Direction: A Script on Autopilot
The screenplay, by Remo D’Souza himself, follows every cliché without attempting to add originality. Emotional moments feel telegraphed, characters are oversimplified, and the narrative repeatedly leans on crutches like:
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Flashbacks in dull sepia tones
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Child characters speaking like adults
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Unconvincing romantic subplots
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Predictable “underdog wins big” ending
At times, Be Happy feels more like a mock-up of a reality show episode than a full-fledged movie. The storytelling feels synthetic, lacking authenticity or emotional resonance.
✅ What Works
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Abhishek Bachchan’s committed performance
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A few warm father-daughter moments
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Nassar’s charming presence as the supportive grandfather
❌ What Doesn’t Work
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Flat, underwhelming dance sequences
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Predictable and uninspired screenplay
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Unrealistic character interactions (especially kids acting like adults)
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Forced emotional beats that fail to land
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A lack of visual flair or innovative choreography
🎯 Final Verdict
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (1.5/5)
Be Happy tries to tap into the formula of inspirational dance-dramas, but ends up as an emotionless and overly manufactured tale. Abhishek Bachchan’s sincere effort can’t save a film that forgets the golden rule of dance and cinema alike: it has to move you.
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