An old Yiddish proverb goes, “Man makes plans, and God laughs.” However, Remo D’Souza’s latest directorial, Be Happy , is particularly painful as God takes to task a young girl who makes plans for a future she dreams of dancing in. Set in the hills of Ooty, Dhara (Inayat Verma), a schoolgirl who is at her best when allowed to dance, lives with her father, Shiv Rastogi (Abhishek Bachchan), and her grandfather, Mr.
Nadar (Nassar). Eight years after losing his wife in a road accident, Shiv refuses to move out of the hill station in search of better opportunities as he is keen on holding on to the life and memories he once shared with Dhara’s mother. He is the archetype of a stoic, distant Indian father who urges his children to focus on studies for a ‘stable’ future and never attempts to deconstruct the complex emotions he has simmering beneath the surface.
Dhara, on the other hand, has a zest for life that is infectious. She seeks inspiration from her dance teacher at school, Maggi (Nora Fatehi), and entertains her whimsical grandfather with her dance performances and pretend-games. As she works towards her dream of dancing on the stage of ‘India’s Superstar Dancer,’ she is forced to contend with her father and his hopes for her.
Watching her break his shell and tear his stoic veneer apart is hilarious, and despite the half-baked, overly dramatic dialogues, Abhishek and Inayat are convincing in their respective roles and bring the father-daughter equation to.
