Dil Bole Hadippa!

Free-spirited Punjabi ‘buffalo-girl’ Veera (Mukerjee) poses as turban-clad Sikh lad Veer in order to join an all male cricket team. Naturally, romantic complications and songs ensue before this ‘Amritsar all-rounder’ is caught out. This Bollywood take on ‘She’s the Man’ meets ‘Bend it like Beckham’ is undemanding, wholesome family fun. Queen-bee Mukherjee reclaims her throne with a compelling, comic and convincing performance. It’s underlying ‘tradition can be just as good as modernity’ message is as subtle as the skimpy red dress Veera dons in a bid to impress Veer (Kapoor), the team’s coach. But it is nice to see cricket being used as a metaphor for ameliorating relations between India and Pakistan. East or West? Good heavens, it’s the Punjab that’s the best!