All Is Well review: A mockery in the name of filmmaking, it's nothing short of a ride to hell

Film: ALL IS WELL
Starring: Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Asin, Supriya Pathak and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub
Directed by: Umesh Shukla
Rating: *1/2 (One and half stars)

What’s It About:

Writer-director Umesh Shukla takes his inspiration from the mythological tale of Shravan Kumar who was known for his devotion towards his parents. Bhalla (Rishi Kapoor) owns a small bakery and wants his son Inder (Abhishek Bachchan) to continue his legacy. But the son has bigger plans. After an altercation with his father, Inder moves out and ends up struggling to realise his musical dream in Thailand. One day, he gets a call from Chima (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub), a local hoodlum from his hometown. Inder is promised a lot of money, which is why he returns to his land; only to discover that it’s all a set-up and his father, in fact, owes a lot of money to people around, including Chima. And thus begins a run-around with Inder having no choice but to join forces with the father he hates to get his family out of trouble. Joining the father-son duo is the Alzheimer-struck mother (Supriya Pathak) and Inder’s love interest (Asin).
 
What’s Hot:

All Is Well is a classic example of how a promising concept and talented actors can be ruined mercilessly by substandard writing/direction and a production house that cannot decide whether it wants to sell music or make movies. Even if you see the film in your most generous state of mind, there’s very little you’ll find to appreciate. The tiresome proceedings in the first half are somehow salvaged to some extent in the latter part but that’s about it. This film, which is nothing but a sheer waste of talent and money, has to its credit some fine performers and they are the only consolation. Rishi Kapoor starts on an irritating mode only to settle down with his character as the film progresses. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub continues his winning streak after Tanu Weds Manu Returns – he is the only one who lightens the screen every now and then. Supriya Pathak is completely wasted but shines in the scenes where she needs to. The film’s driving force is Abhishek Bachchan and his sincere effort shows on screen. In a film filled with screenplay jerks and continuity issues (the director doesn’t bother even when AB’s hairstyle changes in the same scene), Abhishek plays his subtle act with tremendous dignity.
 
What’s Not:

Director Umesh Shukla who had earlier made OMG-Oh My God seriously needs to enroll himself in a film school to understand the difference between stage plays and feature films. To say that his direction is childish, slipshod and tacky would be an understatement. His shooting style is outdated even when compared with the cinema of the 80s – repetitive block frames, unnecessary tight close-ups and over-dramatisation of emotions is all what he has to offer in terms of treatment. As far as the story is concerned, his characters and situations come out all garbled. Firstly, All Is Well is a colossal failure directorially. Secondly, producer Bhushan Kumar needs to understand that selling his music and making films are two different businesses. It happened in the disastrous Roy as well where songs just sprung out of nowhere and which had nothing to do with the film or the storyline. The same continues with All Is Well. In the middle of a car chase, an item song featuring Sonakshi Sinha has been added, which has no connection with anything that’s happening. When you try to push a song down the audience’s throats at the cost of a film’s narrative, the result is bound to be catastrophic. And well, it’s not that the songs are anything to talk about –In fact, the brilliant Ae Mere Humsafar from QSQT has been mangled beyond repair in Tulsi Kumar’s screeching voice. All Is Well is a mockery in the name of filmmaking and it’s just sad that a stellar cast has been completely wasted and let down in the process.
 
What To Do:

All Is Well is nothing short of a ride to hell. If you want to stay well, stay away from it.