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.