Hope Aur Hum

Hope Aur Hum doesn't believe in subtlety when it comes to drumming home its message of old giving way to the new, saddling Naseeruddin Shah with the burden of making audiences hope that, surely, there is something better around the corner.

Hope Aur Hum never strays into complicated territory and sticks to its gentle celebration of everyday highs and lows. Its idealism may seem intentional, but never ever contrived.

While the philosophising doesn't get too heavy, towards the end one feels there could have been a better, more layered payoff rather than the simple one that is served. The film is more interesting in parts, while the whole feels a bit disjointed. A tighter script could have helped, but for now the little gags in the film work just fine.

Everything old is eventually replaced by something new, and it's best to adapt. Whether it is an ancient photocopier or a big old house. This is a lesson that this small feel-good family film that has the heart in its right place brings on the big screen. They try really hard and even though little scenes from the film are good, the film drags on and on and you wish it should have been made for TV movie instead.

The film boasts of moderate production values. The background score by Rupert Fernandez is bright and chirpy. The songs; "Aache bachche rote nahin" and "Aye Zindagi" snuggly mesh into the narrative. Overall, the film is slight too flat and straight.

Hope Aur Hum is a well-intentioned film. It has its heart in the right place and manages to seep you in its own nostalgia and think of things beyond the film. But there's something that doesn't quite make it through. The message of this family drama stays with you but the film, unfortunately, might not.