Take away Rani Mukherji and Dil Bole Hadippa! (DBH) would fail to stand on its feet. She once again proves what a matchless actress she is and raises the film several notches and gives it far more than it deserves. The film is done in by its dull, highly predictable and clichéd script and even in execution, the film fails to come to life as it plods dully along.

This mixture of comedy, sports, romance and emotions is flat with few ups and downs and fails to involve you. The film has few memorable moments and even the romantic track between Shahid and Rani is very, very ordinary to say the least. The Chopra brand of Punjabipan is beginning to pall now and one has enough of this romanticising of the great Punjabi pind and showing traditional Indian values to those who are Western oriented. And honestly, what would Hindi film music do without good old Punjabi beats?

The weakest and most unbelievable part of the film is the climactic match, which stretches logic and credibility beyond breaking point and unlike a Lagaan (2001) or a Chak De! India (2007), it fails to be anywhere as near as involving. That the cricket sequences are rather clumsily shot doesn’t help either.

If there is a big, big saving grace it is Rani Mukherji. Her performance is the life of the film. Barring a few clumsy bits where she speaks in broken English, she is spot on and extremely endearing especially so in her avatar as Veer Pratap Singh. The artiste in her captures the body language and various moods of her character(s) expertly as she makes you smile, laugh and yes, even cry with her. Truly, one needs to see more of this gifted actress on the screen. In a film dominated totally by Rani, Shahid Kapoor is just about adequate enough in support as is Anupam Kher. Dalip Tahil is so-so, Poonam Dhillon is wasted in a guest role while Rakhi Sawant and Sheryln Chopra are plain embarrassing.

Technically, surprisingly there is not much to write home about. The film is average at best in all departments and little more.

All in all, DBH is worth watching only for Rani’s rising-above-the-script act and little else.