Politics. there are many of us who hate it and refuse to be part of it. Yet, politics is what runs a nation. To quote a fellow commenter, 'if we don't take part in politics, someone else less worthy will take the reins in their hands'. This is what Haasil does. While the more recent films like 'Rang De Basanti' which glamourizes violence or an insipid 'Yuva' which fails to get the message through due to its several weaknesses have been hugely successful (the former being a commercial success while the latter was a critical success), 'Haasil' is one film that received comparative little attention but excels both films (notwithstanding the fact that it was released before).
The screenplay is quite innovative and the narrative flows very well. Dhulia's storytelling is refreshing and he portrays the events with grit, realness and sensitivity. An example is the very gradual and somewhat subtle way he shows a carefree Anirudh's movement towards Ranvijay's party. Unlike 'Yuva' and 'Rang de Basanti' this one has no stars. It has actors, and that too, some of the best.
Irfan Khan is phenomenal as Ranvijay. While we see Ranvijay as a brave ambitious leader, we see his weakness towards the opposite sex, particularly the woman he desires. Shergill too is fantastic as the young and naive Anirudh who's slowly drawn into the web of politics. Both these characters are very well-written with different shades. Ashutosh Rana is strictly okay as his character borders on caricature. Hrishita Bhatt has a strong presence and she holds her own. She and Shergill have a wonderful chemistry and their love story is quite genuine and well-handled. Tinnu Anand is quite likable as the father who's unsuccessfully trying to bridge the generation gap between his son and himself. Rajpal Yadav doesn't have much to do.
The songs are quite nice but some could have easily been left out. For example, the Qawali sequence towards the finale, looked a little too dramatic and Bollywoodish. Actually the whole mosque sequence looks a little out of place. The screenplay is a little imbalanced. In the first half it balances the love story and the political chaos but in the latter half it shifts towards Ranvijay's obsession (why?) for Niharika. The sudden change in Irfan's character looks a little drastic, especially his outburst at Niharika's parents followed by his insane hunt. Then again, perhaps the outburst scene reflects his sexual frustration, a hint of which we see in an earlier scene when Anirudh jokes to him about his weakness with women. The ending too looks a little odd and rushed but one can understand why the director wanted to round it up this way. Also some situations required further development. For example, Ranvijay's attraction towards Niharika or how did Ranvijay manage to convince Niharika's father to marry her off to him?
'Haasil' is a brilliant effort in spite of its flaws. It isn't exactly a masterpiece but is a lot more real and effective than the other successful films (I already gave two examples) trying to convey a similar message. Worth the watch!
