Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Review

This is no tribute to Guru Dutt. It is truly an extension of the Version One of the Gangster and Moll story. The passing if accidental tribute to Guru Dutt is the survey of the decadence of the feudal system. While gun shots are aplenty, thankfully the tale is people centric; people – with all their ambitions greed guile intrigue and failures. Surely and truly it is a black world out there in Deoghar. There is nothing subtle to suggest a tribute to Guru Dutt. No poignancy. In contrast it is a ‘on your face’ revenge saga from the stable of the Race module. Each worse and more convoluted than the other.
We have moved to a bad bad world and even when we tell the story a contemporary style of gory violence and exaggerated gun shots tell the story- nay make the statement. The transitoriness of human emotions, their fragile stance in a rich bad world heading towards sure decay constitutes the fulcrum of Tigmanshu Dhulia’s latest outing. Told in the midst of heavy angst in the air and distrust, each character has a hidden motive in every act and sometimes not even hidden but screamingly, brazenly selfish and evil.
Aditya Pratap Singh (Jimmy Shergill) confined to a wheel chair after a shootout in the earlier edition is completely fed up with his alcoholic wife Choti Rani Madhavi (Mahi Gill). She is either with liquor in her hand or yearning for the man in bed but is always the embarrassment of the family’s honour. Rani Maa suggests that Aditya Pratap remarries to ensure an heir apparent to the non-existent throne (obviously concerned with the Doctrine of Lapse!!). She suggests that he marry Ranjana (Soha Ali) a blue blood heiress of the neighbouring feudal lord. The Gangster is Indrajit Singh (Irfan Khan) who not only has old scores to settle but is also in love with Ranjana and surely does not approve of the budding alliance. Emotions are cross wired. Interests are jeopardised. People are double crossed. Men are killed as if they were sitting ducks and are a part of the next day’s meal. Interestingly in the midst of all this characters develop strongly and mouth some punch filled dialogue adding a tuft full of drama.
The dialogues may be a trifle over the board but are so punch filled that you are taken back to the days of Salim Javed. Not the script. It jerks, jumps and shivers. The high light of the film is the fine balance Tigmanshu manages to achieve between the characters in the black world and their deeds that make the story.
The highlight of the film comes from the performances. Irfan Khan as the guy who is evil with a sharp mind and out to avenge a wrong many decades ago is perfect though looks a trifle old for the role of romancing with the heiress. Mahi Gill has been the bold interpreter to hitherto standard characters. She did it with Paro in Dev D and now she is not Choti Bahu (Meena Kumari in the Guru Dutt classic) but the more aggressive one. She does not plead a na jao saiyan, mein ro padoongi.. She takes things in her stride and is willing to strike as she does at most points of the film. Soha Ali Khan oozes the princely role she is called upon to deliver. This lass has class and talent. She has the fine art of underplaying her role. How I wish mainstream cinema took notice of her!! Finally the film truly belongs to Jimmy Shergill who every once in a way makes a sincere if non-descript appearance. This film belongs to him. Never exaggerated, cool as a cucumber even in his violence, he is the central figure that makes the film compelling watching. The rest of the cast including the likes of Raj Babbar, Deep Raj Rana, Rajiv Gupta provide fine support.
This is main stream cinema with the usual item number (Mugdha Godse) the exaggerations, the works, the violence and even a peep into a porno film but above all it is engaging and involving. A good road to take for a man who promised much with the earlier edition.
L. Ravichander.