Ready Steady No! is currently playing in the cinemas and making people laugh all around the country. However, some people either term those reviews incorrect (without watching the film) while others refuse to believe that an independent film could do this well despite big names in the cast and the crew. We believe that Ready Steady No! deserves all the praise it has been getting, and point out as many as 7 reasons that will make you want to watch the flick, in a cinema near you:
1. The relatable plot, the believable surroundings
Yes, it does seem like a telefilm but it is a good telefilm that churns a relatable plot in believable surroundings. The flick revolves around the escape of a young couple who want to get married but find trouble at every corner. They meet an SHO who loves to sing, a detective who can’t even remember a number plate, parents who are old-school, a lawyer who moonlights as a delivery guy, a conman who can be anyone, a Qazi who stammers and above all, a classic twist that most of us would believe, because it’s so life-like. Most of the film has been shot in the beautiful parts of Lahore, giving it the romantic touch it deserves!
2. The ever-charming Amna Ilyas
If you have watched Baaji, then you must have gone to watch Ready Steady No! for Amna Ilyas; and you wouldn’t come out disappointing. The actress uses her superpower (her charm) to the best of her abilities and incorporates it into her character so well that you will want her to run away and never return. Unlike the know-it-all in Baaji, she is naïve here as she wants to run away with her mother’s wedding dress, forgets her identity card in excitement, and has second thoughts when the nikaah is about to be completed. Furthermore, in scenes where she isn’t required to speak, she changes her mode to non-speaking and steals the scene by just being there, especially the one in which her husband-to-be gets to meet the superior moulvi.
3. Hisham Bin Munawar – ShoMan 2.0
Hisham Bin Munawar thanks Shoaib Mansoor for inspiring him to make a film; must have been before Verna because after that many people decided to forget the ShoMan. In fact, Hisham goes one step further and writes the songs, pens the script, composes the music, sings a song and produces the film, doing one better than his idol. His film may lack the technical finesse and the cinematic appeal, like Khuda Kay Liye and Bol but it takes guts to do all those things that too without inserting vulgar jokes, below the belt comedy and item numbers.
4. Songs and music to dance for
One of the strong points of Ready Steady No! is its incredible Soundtrack, one that seems to have been written in sync with the story. Nachee Ja may be in the end credits but it is a perfect wedding song for the shaadi season; then there is Dekho Dekho which can easily be classified as the best romantic song of the year. The other songs in the background only add to the narrative, making it something you can’t miss. The background music is also well done, especially when they play classic Hollywood themes in the background as per the scene’s requirement.
5. Stock characters that should be in films
How many times have you met a Qazi who stammers; a lawyer who has no clue about the legal system; a detective who wants to be Sherlock Holmes but can be easily fooled; a hotel manager whose integrity can be bought and a husband who is shit scared of his wife. All these characters make way into this film and play an important role in taking the narrative forward. Zain Afzal, Marhoom Bilal Ahmed, Munir Ahmed, Saleem Albela and Ismail Tara play their roles to perfection and impress all with their diverse acting. In fact, you can’t take one character out of the story because that will tear the story down and it will be as good as nothing!
6. The importance of excellent comic timings!
There is a scene where Nargis Rasheed’s character drops a tray with stainless steel plates and cups. She repeats that two times more but the difference is that the third time, Marhoom Ahmad Bilal’s wakeel is there to catch the tray. What makes it all the more interesting is the fact that the audience wanted him to do that and he did, showing the director’s expert way of handling things. Same goes for the scene where the clocks show the same time because we are talking about city-wide time zones, not worldwide. And last but not the least, the scene where Faisal Saif captures Munir Ahmed and ties him to the chair is too hilarious to be ignored. Munir Ahmed’s acting is at par with the best in the business as he uses the sympathy card to first get something to eat and drink. In the whole cinema, there was one person (me!) who was hoping he would ask for more and when he does, the whole cinema erupts in laughter!
7. Handling of a sensitive topic in a humorous way!
The film tackles the old-school issue of Caste marriages in its own way – the humorous way! While the girl’s father wants her to marry an incompetent cousin, the boy’s mother is adamant that her son gets married to someone who belongs to their same social standing. How the writer manages to tear down the fabric of Caste Marriages is something you will have to find out by watching the film but trust me, it doesn’t disappoint at all. You might want to rebel after watching the film, such is its impact!
