Hello: 2 stars out of five.

Three years back a novel called "One night @ the call centre" recorded phenomenal sale and perhaps re-wrote the success mantra in Indian English Fiction market. Its author, Chetan Bhagat, never boasted of producing a great piece of literature, but his believable characters, free flowing language and a raw sense of humor sustained it at the bestseller shelves for almost a year.

'Hello' is the screen adaptation of this bestselling novel. 'Hello' has everything going for it- a very good storyline, good actors and of course the pairing of Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif... Yet something is missing !!!


'Hello' is the story of six characters working in a call centre. Everything is going wrong in the lives of these 6 characters…relationships going awry, dreams shattering and insecurity is looming large. Sharman Joshi loves Gul Panag but circumstances separate them. Their love story forms the core of 'Hello.' Then there is Sohail Khan as the overexcited dude Vroom whose favorite pastime is mouthing US-bashing dialogues. Amrita Arora and Isha Koppikar also keep on popping up at regular intervals. The eldest in the group is Sharad Saxena, the good-natured 'military uncle'. But once inside the call centre they have to forget all their struggles and become individuals with new identities responding to the 'Hello!!' of callers. But one night a call changes everything…a call from none other than GOD. They say 'Hello!' to this call and things are never the same.


However strange it may sound but the sequence of the conversation with GOD was perhaps the most important and spellbinding sequence in the novel... but in the film it completely falls flat. Since the climax disappoints, the whole impact of 'Hello' is gone.


This is the second film of director Atul Agnihotri after the disastrous Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha. Though he has improved a lot but he failed to translate the energy of the novel into the scenes.


The only point where the film actually matches the book is the dialogues. Chetan Bhagat introduces his brand of tongue-in-cheek humor and the actors also do complete justice while uttering them.


Sharman Joshi and Sohail Khan are first rate. The underrated actors complement each other very well. Gul Panag is good and so is Sharat Saxena. Amrita Arora and Isha Koppikar had nothing significant to do. Dilip Tahil is completely over the top.
There was absolutely no need of Sajid-Wajid's harsh soundtrack. Every song just ruins the pace of the film.
And ya…there is Salman Khan playing a superstar jumping to a tune that goes like Bang Bang Bang…Boom Boom Boom… and Katrina Kaif playing an angel… Both look completely uninterested in the proceedings.


So watch 'Hello' if you haven't read 'One Night @ The Call Centre', it might be a good time pass. But if you have read and liked the novel, 'Hello' will disappoint you.