Will Freaky Ali be a nostalgic reminder of Happy Gilmore?

It is evident that we are in for a lot of witty punch lines and sharp one-liners that will captivate us.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is well known for his challenging roles and award-winning performances in various movies. Dekh Indian Circus (2011), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Talaash (2012), The Lunchbox (2013) and Manjhi (2015) are some of the more well-known movies he has starred in. He is currently making waves in Bollywood with his latest comedic role in Sohail Khan’s directorial venture Freaky Ali.

The film is officially set to hit cinemas on September 9, 2016. However, the trailer has already managed to create an enormous hype by building excitement amongst filmgoers by giving them a tempting nibble of the ultimate treat.

Freaky Ali’s story revolves around the character of Ali (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who is a wannabe goon with an undying love for cricket, but destiny turns him into a golfing sensation. As a golfer, he deals with numerous challenges and ordeals because of his freaky nature, but finally ends up meeting the right woman.



The trailer shows no awkward facial expressions in the name of comedy. It’s evident that we are in for a lot of witty punch lines and sharp one-liners that will captivate us!

Other than the Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016) famed actor, the film also stars Amy Jackson as the lead actress and Arbaaz Khan plays the role of a thief and extortionist who helps Ali during difficult times.

Freaky Ali looks like a fun-filled package of humour and never-seen-before avatar of Nawazuddin. However, a lot of cinephiles might find this film to be an Indian rendition of Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore (1996).

The story of Sandler’s Happy Gilmore is pretty similar. Sandler played the lead role as a failed ice-hockey player who, by chance, realises his proficiency for the gentleman’s game – golf. Indecently taunting his rivals, he applies ice-hockey methods such as the slap shot-style swing for hitting golf balls and ultimately becomes a sensation in the elitist game.

All credit for his success goes to his outlandish behaviour as it helps him manage the misfortunes that he encounters. He goes on to becoming a golf celebrity after defeating all the other champions.


Does the story line sound familiar?

Yes, the central idea of Nawazuddin’s rom-com/sports drama is borrowed from Sandler’s comedy. Even the posters are pretty much the same with the lead men carrying golf clubs in both. Although Arbaaz Khan has denied the allegation categorically, but the slapstick humour, dramatic scenes, love interest and a few dialogues are definitely features the two movies share.

Is freaky Ali is a copy of happy Gilmore??trailer se to yahi lagta hai

— himanshu gaur (@himanshugaur5) August 12, 2016

Freaky Ali is inspired from Happy Gilmore? https://t.co/SrD03Xd8By pic.twitter.com/S7Ivjs0185

— Uli Schaefer (@mb4uli) August 8, 2016

09.09.2016 is going to be #FreakyFriday for all the fans who have loved Hello Brother, PKTDK, Partner and Jai Ho . pic.twitter.com/tkDiN76GsL

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) August 5, 2016

The only factors that make Freaky Ali different from Happy Gilmore are the songs and dances, particularly Nawazuddin’s dance in the song Din Mein Karengey Jagrata.


Other musical scores in the movie are composed by Sajid-Wajid, which include Parinda Hai Parinda and Ya Ali Murtaza, which is a fusion of a qawwali and bhajan.

All in all, it depends on the audience to decide if Freaky Ali is worth the watch or if it’s just a nostalgic reminder of Happy Gilmore. For now, we all are anxiously waiting for the release of this anticipated film featuring the master of capturing a common man on the big screen – Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Based on the hype created after the trailer, it seems as though die-hard Nawaz fans will find ample reasons to love his new avatar in this joyfully silly take on a serious game.