Everything in this movie is something you've seen before. Yet the way it's all come together is so powerful that you don't really mind it.

Sameer Khan is a major Bollywood star who is as fake as the RayBans selling at Flora Fountain (the first 20 mins remind you of 'Page 3'). Then, he witnesses a murder at a party (yes jee, hubahu Jessica Lal murder case). After a struggle with his conscience he decides to come forward and testify (the second half of the film will be compared by many to'Rang de Basanti').

And yet, 'Halla Bol' grabs you with its many fine performances, some outstanding dialogue and just the sheer force of its . The secret sauce in the film is the street theatre element fused into the story. 'Sameer Khan' was originally Ashfaq, an actor who was part of a natak mandli which enacted street plays to raise awareness of social issues. The naara of the naatak mandli was 'Halla Bol'.

Halla Bol is also the name of the street play which actor and playwright Safdar Hashmi was enacting in Sahibabad on the outskirts of Delhi, when he was murdered by Congressman Mukul Sharma and his henchmen in 1989. In broad daylight, in front of several bystanders. Santoshi acknowledges that his film is inspired by Hashmi.

Of course, this is the filmi version. The guy who runs the theatre troupe is a 'retired daaku'. And if that's not stretching your imagination, he's a waheguru chanting daaku from the daakuless state of Punjab....

But like I said, you don't really mind it because this character - Sidhu - is played by Pankaj Kapur. And he is mindblowing. Ajay Devgan is the 'hero' but Pankaj ke bina this film would have been absolutely phus.

Similarly I am sure a professional screenwriter would gag at the way Santoshi has tied up his plot with conveniences and coincidences. But the guy is sincere and he knows how to please the audience. Watch out for lusty cheering during the scene involving a Persian carpet!

Thankfully, Santoshi has also developed a slight sense of humour. He actually makes you smile in the montage scene where he depicts the rise of Sameer Khan. One shot - hit film. Second shot ad for some jeeragoli. Third shot - hit film. Fourth shot - ad for dantmanjan. And so on.

Of the other actors Vidya Balan makes her presence felt and whoever played the politician - Gaekwad - has done a great job.

The basic premise of the film is that many of us 'sell out' our identity, and in fact our very soul, as we climb the ladder of success. And actors in particular fall in love with the image they have created of themselves. The contrast between the glitzy but make believe world of Bollywood ('Sameer Khan') and the gritty but very real world of the street play actor (Ashfaq) is brought out very clearly.

Also the idea that even a rich and famous man, if he stands up for the truth, can be...

harassed and even fear for his life is quite chilling. There are many ways to hurt someone both personally and professionally (there is a reference to Aamir Khan and Narmada Bachao).

Through the 70s and 80s we had heros standing up against zulm. In those days angry young men took the path of violence. That era is over. The 'retired daku' bit is a symbolic that way. 'Maine bahuton ko maara aur socha ussue insaaf hoga... magar usse problem khatam nahi hoti'.

The hero now picks up the microphone - uses the new bhagwaan called 'media'. The movie does touch on the issue of media choosing to be a bystander because it needs to sell images and video to keep itself alive. Any activism they do is also motivated chiefly by readership and ratings... but let's not get into that debate here.

'Halla Bol' is cheesy for sure but phir bhi solid cheez hai. Watch it!