Anupama Chopra reviews "Be Happy," the latest film from choreographer-director Remo D'Souza, which combines elements of his earlier dance films like "Street Dancer 3D" and "ABCD 2" with the sentimental depth of Rishikesh Mukherjee's classic "Anand." The story follows an 8-year-old girl named Dhara, played by Inayat Verma, who dreams of participating in a national dance show. Her father, Shiv, played by Abhishek Bachchan, supports her ambitions despite his own grief over his wife's death. The film is a sentimental father-daughter drama with a dance competition and terminal illness, making it convoluted but emotionally charged.
Anupama notes that while the dance sequences are imaginative and vital, the rest of the film feels like filler between these performances. The characters are sketchily written, and the story relies heavily on sentimentality to evoke emotions. Despite its beautiful dance sequences, the film's narrative lacks depth, and the characters fail to resonate. Abhishek Bachchan's performance is overshadowed by the film's lack of subtlety, and even Johnny Lever's comedic talents are underutilized. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video.
