“Be Happy” starring Abhishek Bachchan and Nora Fatehi tries to spin a warm tale of dreams, dance and determination but falls flat due to its poor execution. The premise is good but the film doesn’t go into the emotional lives of the characters instead it prioritizes dance sequences and competition like a reality show.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Ooty the story is about Dhara (Inayat Verma) a school going girl whose love for dance brings her immense happiness. Her single father Shiv (Abhishek Bachchan) is supportive but worried about her decision to move to Mumbai and join a famous dance academy run by a celebrated dancer and choreographer Nora Fatehi. The film sets up a basic conflict of parental concern vs a child’s ambition.

As the story goes on we see Dhara’s journey full of hope and challenges. But the film doesn’t go deeper into the characters and their relationships. It relies heavily on the dance competitions which are visually good but takes away from the emotional core of the story. The title “Be Happy” suggests a light hearted approach but the film feels like a dance number checklist rather than a story.

Inayat Verma is superb as Dhara, she brings so much energy to the screen and gets the audience hooked. Her performance is the highlight, she shows off her talent and charm. Abhishek Bachchan who was so nuanced as a father in “I Want To Talk” seems more one dimensional and restrained here. The script doesn’t give him the depth to explore his character’s emotions and he feels underused.

Nora Fatehi, the dancing diva, tries to make the transition from dancer to actress. She has a certain ease in her role but her acting feels forced, she still has a long way to go in this department. Nassar as Dhara’s grandfather is as reliable as ever but unfortunately is given predictable and one dimensional roles. Harleen Sethi as Dhara’s mother is disappointing short and we want to see more of her.

One of the biggest misstep of the film is the inclusion of Johnny Lever whose comedy track feels out of place and ruins the tone of the film. Dialogues are stilted and it’s hard to connect with the characters at any level.

In short “Be Happy” has a promising premise around ambition and family love but lacks depth and cohesiveness. Inayat Verma’s performance is good but the film is more about dance than character development. It’s a missed opportunity to explore the complexities of dreams and relationships and hence the film despite its title fails to emotionally resonate.