Yo Yo Honey Singh Famous Review: This documentary lacks the rapper’s edge and has little to offer

Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous, a documentary about the life of the rapper-singer is out. Unfortunately, the only thing exciting about it is still its teaser, which dropped recently and made lofty claims that this would be a ‘tell all’. (Read also: Honey Singh recalls “death wish” as he talks about battling mental illness in his documentary)

Directed by Mozez Singh, known for directing the series Human, and produced by Guneet Monga, who has backed offbeat content, the story of Yo Yo has great potential.

A Delhi boy from humble beginnings becomes someone who has made a big mark on the Indian music scene – the audience gets a good underdog story. The docu starts with footage of his teenage days – and establishes a promising note straight away.

Nothing new to offer

It all feels just a tad tilted in Singh’s favor though. The line of questioning seems to be something straight out of a typical masala movie. The biggest controversies Honey found herself in, including being credited for the explosive song ‘Ch*t’, are touched on – and promptly brushed aside when Singh says ‘I didn’t make it’. Well, he has also said the same thing in the past in countless interviews. What makes this docu different?

The same applies to the rumor that actor Shah Rukh Khan allegedly beat up Yo Yo during a concert tour. Yo Yo and his sister simply say ‘unhone nahi maara tha’- he has already claimed the same earlier too. Regarding the bipolar diagnosis he received, he says ‘aaj tak kisi ko nahi bataya kya hua tha’- except he’s been open about it all these years, and kudos to him for that.

There is nothing revealing about Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous. You don’t come away learning anything new or surprising about the person in question. Yes, his family’s appearance makes it more human. Honey breaking down as he remembers being at home, unemployed, tugs at your heartstrings, as does the family’s helplessness as they at one point struggled with his deteriorating mental health.

The big misses

Random sequences like a ‘superfan’ suddenly meeting the rapper on the road at night and crying as he sings to her – the sense of it being staged further diminishes believability. When asked about his controversial divorce from Shalini some time back, Singh simply says, “We have signed an MoU, so I can’t talk about it.” I wonder what is the point of this Docu apart from just being a collection of things the singer has already revealed in the past.

For example, there is nothing about Mafia Mundeer beyond a passing mention when talking about a controversial song.

Overall, Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous could have been so much more. But it is reduced to being a whitewashing attempt, like Sanju, which only aims to glorify the subject rather than being an objective overview.