In Review: Teefa In Trouble Is A Blockbuster!

His daughter, Aanya (Maya Ali) has run away with Teefa (Ali Zafar; in case you have been living under a rock). Bonzo (Javed Sheikh) is raging and has an army of body guards alongside him. He walks up to Tony Dot Shah (Faisal Qureshi) with menace, the intent is to smash his face of his head. But in typical Faisal Qureshi style, Tony utters the this dialogue

“Mohzaib Mulkono mai baith kr bat krta hain. Samnay Café hai, wahan Janay se mujhy mileyga ga Mocha or apko Cappuccino.”

It’s not the funniest dialogue if read in isolation. But the way, Tony says it, the situation that has been created up to that point makes it hilarious. It is not offensive or sleazy but it’s funny. Teefa in Trouble is full of such dialogues. The one liners shown in the trailer doesn’t do full justice to how creatively dialogues have been written for the film. For me, that is what stood out. But there is so much more to the film.

If you are a fan of action, the film offers many actions sequences which are perfectly shot. Action sequences in Pakistani films can often induce laughter. Teefa in Trouble has upped the game for any upcoming action film. If you like your hero flying, Teefa parkours around the narrow lanes of Lahore, and Zain Haleem captures the full experience (overall he has done a wonderful job). If you like car chases, well you have got them. Romance between Teefa and Aanya is sweet, and tasteful. It’s not just two gorgeous individuals, falling in love because they are supposed to. Instead, there are backstories, which push these two towards each other. This story has been handled with due care. The songs perfectly compliment it. If you are looking for friendship, Tony and Teefa or Butt Sahab (Mehmood Aslam) and Bonzo provide you with that.

Ahsan Rahim has brought all his experience to the fore. There is some sort of innocence to these characters, which we see in most of Ahsan Rahim’s work. The emotions he is appealing to, are very basic. The need for love in the case of Aanya or the desire of Teefa, to be rich enough to open up a restaurant of his dream; these are sentiments a lot of us would bond with. While, the desires are basic, the technical aspects are perfect. The cinematography is top class. The background score by Shani Arshad, makes Teefa look larger than life. The execution of the film is remarkable. It gives Ali Zafar an immaculate platform to perform his heroism and leave a spell on the audience.

Credit to Ali Zafar for taking up this flawed but fun character. As the producer and co-writer of the film, he could have easily taken up a character which was closer to his own life. But he plays Teefa. A street smart enforcer managing on the mean and narrow lanes of Lahore. Thankfully, it’s not Ali Zafar, posing as Teefa. Rather it’s Ali Zafar getting in the skin of the character. He definitely looks the part. Maya Ali, has the require energy for the role. She looks stunning but also gets the acting, dancing part right. The story teller and the director also ensure that she gets a meaty and equal role. The dynamic between Javed Sheikh Bonzo and Mehmood Aslam Butt Sahab is most enjoyable. Mahenur Haider as Sara, helps the story go forward. In short, Ahsan Rahim has been able to bring the most out of these fine actors.

Some trouble with the film is with the script. Things happen too easily for Teefa and Aanya, and at some places you wonder how did that happen. For someone who isn’t a Fast and the f=Furious series fan, we had one car chase too many. But with the overall entertainment, I am happy to ignore such glitches.

For the last couple of years, almost every film maker claims that his film will change the course of Pakistani film industry. Having seen Teefa in Trouble, I feel that film has finally arrived. It offers something to everyone. A strong hero, a free spirited heroine, sharp dialogues, fun and light hearted comedy, the picture perfect look, song and dance, and powerful fight sequences, Teefa in Trouble has it all. Flock to the cinemas to get entertained.