Tanuja Chandra returns with Hope and a little sugar after a hiatus since her last flick- Zindagi Rocks! Unlike her previous venture, 'Hope' marks her first English language film. Set in New York in the weeks before and. after 9/11, Hope and a little sugar is a poignant tale of love set against the forces of hate and intolerance centers on the romance between an aspiring Muslim photographer and a young Sikh woman Bike messenger, Alt Siddiqui (AMIT SIAL, debutant) meets the beautiful but married Saloni (AAAHIAAA CHAUDHRY,) a charismatic mithaai shop owner who encourages All's photography and becomes his muse. Despite Ali's secret and largely unrequited crush on Saloni, he develops a close friendship with her and her husband Harry (VIKRAM CHATWAL). But when tragedy strikes with the terrorist attacks on Sept 11, 2001, her father-in-law, a retired army Colonel (ANUPAM KHER), devastated by grief and anger, directs his longstanding animosity towards Muslims Alt, as the young man's affection for Saloni grows increasingly evident. To start off with, 'Hope and a little sugar' isn't your usual 9/11 film with terrorist bashing or so.
'Hope' is more of an emotional drama that really gets you involved into the lives of the family members undergoing the trauma of losing a loved one. Tanuja Chandra has executed really well as both the writer as well as director of the film. The story and screenplay may seem a little slow paced but the drama and intensity of events keeps you glued.No harm in calling 'Hope' a crossover film but don't expected those cliche 'naach-gaana' and that entire goody goody boy meets girl stuff. Mahima Chaudhry does extremely well and gives the tru so called international look to the film. She emotes well and in fact, since Pardes maybe the audiences have never seen Mahima enact so well. Amit Sial does really well for a debutant expressing the trauma of a broken past with excellence.
The finest performance comes from Anupam Kher as the Sikh dad. On the whole, 'Hope and a little sugar' is a simple, sweet film.
