Finally watched Uunchai, Sooraj Barjatya’s cosy yet clunky tale of three old mates hiking to Everest Base Camp to honour their late buddy. Barjatya, the Hum Aapke Hain Koun legend, trades wedding bling for Himalayan vistas, and I was hyped for his emotional punch.
The cast is fire: Amitabh Bachchan’s soulful Amit steals it, Anupam Kher’s grumpy Om brings laughs, and Boman Irani’s cheeky Javed keeps it lively. Neena Gupta shines, but Parineeti Chopra’s guide feels like an afterthought.
Manoj Kumar Khatoi’s Himalayan shots are pure eye-candy, and the first half zips with witty banter and a Delhi-to-Kathmandu road trip.
But, bloody hell, the pacing tanks. At nearly three hours, the second half drags with soggy family drama and a forced romance that dulls the trek’s vibe. The finale hits the heart, but Amit Trivedi’s loud score feels off.
Uunchai nails friendship and grit but needed a sharp edit to avoid feeling like a slog.
Solid, not stellar. 7/10.
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