One Line Review: Helmet is amusing and elicits a few laughs, but its strong message is undermined by the film’s underdeveloped story and cast of characters.
Youtube Trailer Helmet
Starring: Pranutan Bahi, Aparikshit Khurana
Director: Satram Ramani
Release Date: 3 September 2021
Introduction
Satram Ramani directs Helmet, a comedy film to be released in 2021, in which Aparshakti Khurana co-stars with Abhishek Banerjee and Pranutan Bahl, as well as Ashish Verma and Anurita Jha, among other cast members. The film has a running time of 104 minutes.
Plot analysis
Helmet begins by stating that no one wants to buy condoms and that people who conduct condom surveys are being beaten to a pulp in the first episode. Clearly, this film is about condoms, and it makes this clear far too early in the film. Lucky is the protagonist of the story, and he has a dream of owning his own wedding band. His relationship with Rupali, on the other hand, suffers when his limited financial resources become a hindrance in his path.
The helmet is a typical Bollywood film in every way. It isn’t a straight-up masala film, but it isn’t exactly a drama either. The first half-hour contains two songs, so you know what I’m talking about. Despite the fact that the songs are catchy, they don’t really linger in your head five minutes after they’ve finished playing them.
Lucky devises an ingenious scheme to obtain some quick cash in Helmet, and it is at this point that the problems begin. Instead of electronic devices, he receives a truckload of condoms. Surprisingly, the movie, in an attempt to be humorous, significantly dumbs down its characters. For example, no one makes sane, rational, or intelligent decisions.
Good message
Perhaps the purpose of the film was to raise awareness about the importance of using contraceptives, which everyone should do. Kids, make sure you have safe sex. However, somewhere along the line, Helmet begins to feel more like a commercial for KamaSutra than a film that stands on its own two feet. Although it brings the issue of people who are embarrassed to buy condoms into the spotlight, it is a valid observation that should be brought to light.
Even with the comedic elements, I was surprised that there wasn’t a single instance in which I burst out laughing on the floor with laughter. We all laughed when Lucky found his first customer, which brought out a few laughs in the audience. However, given the fact that this is a comedy film, it fails to deliver the necessary punches.
Serious Care for characters and their arc
A strong message is conveyed in Helmet, and it has a good heart at its core. Better character development and stronger acting from the supporting cast, both of which are severely lacking in this film, would have helped to enhance the message, in my opinion. Particularly in the second half, the film becomes even more complicated and, at times, too ridiculous to be taken seriously at all.
Let’s get to the conclusion of Helmet’s story. Things are resolved far too quickly in this case. Lucky meets and falls in love with the girl out of nowhere, and the girl’s father forgives him. The NAAP people sing his praises, and the people of his village give him standing ovations. After that, he delivers an emotional speech of his own. Remember how I mentioned that this is a Bollywood film? Well, this is where that fact is brought to light (as if the three or four songs were not enough). The film then concludes with a public service announcement.
Performance on another level
The best part of Helmet, on the other hand, is the performances of its main characters. The performances by Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee, and Ashish Verma are excellent. Listen, Banerjee was one of the reasons I burst out laughing while watching Stree, which is one of my all-time favorite comedies. Khurana is also a fantastic actor. Because he’s our main character, we get to see him quite a bit, and he does an excellent job of conveying Lucky’s desperation and quirks.
Conclusion
A loud and clear message from Helmet, and an extremely important message at that. However, the story and the characters do not carry enough weight to effectively convey the message. That being said, it’s an amusing film that has its share of laughs and is, overall, a light-hearted experience to watch. However, I anticipate that this will not be a lasting impression on you after the runtime has ended.
The helmet is amusing and elicits a few laughs, but its strong message is undermined by the film’s underdeveloped story and the cast of characters.
