जय गंगाजल: प्रकाश झा का अभिनय...बस कुछ और नहीं! [2/5]

एक तेज तर्रार पुलिस अधिकारी की रोबदार भूमिका में प्रियंका चोपड़ा भले ही फिल्म के पोस्टरों में सबसे बड़ा चेहरा नज़र आतीं हों, भले ही उनका किरदार फिल्म को उसके गंतव्य तक पहुंचाने में एक बड़ा और जरूरी माध्यम साबित होता हो; प्रकाश झा की ‘जय गंगाजल’ में अगर कोई आपको बार-बार दर्शक के तौर पर टटोलता रहता है, उकसाता है, आपके अंतर्मन को झकझोर जाता है तो वो हैं खुद प्रकाश झा! और यहाँ बात उनके निर्देशन की नहीं, उनके अभिनय की भी नहीं, उनके किरदार की हो रही है. झा भ्रष्टाचार में लिप्त एक ऐसे पुलिस अफसर की भूमिका में हैं, जिसने हालात से समझौते तो कर लिए हैं पर अभी भी अन्दर से पूरी तरह मरा नहीं है. अपने इस एक किरदार से प्रकाश झा फिल्म में वो तमाम उतार-चढ़ाव परोस पाने में सफल रहते हैं, जिनके सहारे फिल्म धीरे-धीरे ही सही, एक संतोषजनक प्रयास बनने की तरफ हमेशा उत्सुक और अग्रसर दिखाई देती है.

‘गंगाजल’ की ही तरह, ‘जय गंगाजल’ की पृष्ठभूमि भी जंगल-राज से ग्रस्त एक ऐसा इलाका है, जहां राजनीति बाहुबलियों के हाथों का मोहरा है और कानून-तंत्र पूरी तरह ध्वस्त. विकास के नाम पर गरीबों की जमीनें तरह-तरह के हथकंडों से हथियाई जा रही हैं, किसान आत्महत्याएं कर रहे हैं, और इन सबके पीछे हैं स्थानीय दबंग विधायक बबलू पाण्डेय [मानव कौल] और ‘छोटे विधायक’ कहलाने वाले उनके छोटे भाई डबलू पाण्डेय [निनाद कामत]. बी एन सिंह [झा] हर जायज़-नाजायज़ तरीके से इन दोनों को हमेशा कानून से गिरफ्त बचाते आये हैं, पर अब जिले का चार्ज ले लिया है नई एस पी आभा माथुर [प्रियंका चोपड़ा] ने. निडर, साहसी और निर्भीक माथुर पहले ही साफ़ कर चुकी हैं, “मैं यहाँ सलामी ठुकवाने नहीं आई’.

कहानी अलग और नई होने के बावजूद, ‘जय गंगाजल’ कई मायनों में ‘गंगाजल’ का सीक्वल ही लगती है. पुलिस महकमे में भ्रष्टाचार का मुद्दा हो या अपराधियों के बढ़ते रसूख और आतंक को ख़त्म करने के लिए पुलिस का भीड़ के साथ मिलकर एक अलग, पर गैरकानूनी तरीके का इस्तेमाल करने लग जाने की प्रवृत्ति, दोनों ही फिल्में समान रूप से एक ही पैटर्न के पीछे भागती रहती हैं. फर्क सिर्फ इतना है कि ‘गंगाजल’ में अपराधियों की आँखों में एसिड डालने की घटना भागलपुर की वास्तविक घटना से प्रेरित थी और यहाँ [Spoiler Alert] भीड़ का अपराधियों को खुद सज़ा देने का उन्माद महज़ एक लोक-लुभावन अभिव्यक्ति!

फिल्म के मुख्य किरदार में प्रियंका चोपड़ा भारी-भरकम संवादों, कड़क हाव-भाव और अपने तीखे तेवरों से लगातार प्रभावित करने की कोशिश करती रहती हैं, पर कहीं न कहीं एक बनावटीपन, किरदार में दिखने-लगने की एक जरूरत से ज्यादा ललक उनके अभिनय में और खालीपन ले आती है. उनके हिस्से के संवादों में बेवजह के वजन ठूंसे गए लगते हैं. प्रकाश झा के अभिनय में इस तरह की कोई रोक-टोक नहीं दिखती, हालाँकि कहीं –कहीं उनकी संवाद-अदायगी नाना पाटेकर की याद जरूर दिला देती है. अभिनय में झा की झिझक और चढ़ी-चढ़ी आँखों में रुक-रुक कर आते भाव उनके किरदार को और विश्वासी-और जमीनी ही बनाते हैं. मानव कौल सहज हैं और कुछेक दृश्यों में एकदम खुल कर प्रभावित करते हैं. राहुल भट और निनाद कामत ज्यादा निराश नहीं करते.

अंत में, ‘जय गंगाजल’ अपनी २ घंटे ३८ मिनट की ‘थका देने वाली’ कुल अवधि में आपको ज्यादातर समय वही सब दिखाती है, और ठीक उसी तौर-तरीके से, जिसे अक्सर आप प्रकाश झा की पिछली फिल्मों में पहले ही देख चुके हैं. झा का अभिनय जरूर एक नयापन देता है फिल्म को, पर उनका निर्देशन और फिल्म का लेखन औसत दर्जे का ही है. कहीं झा दूसरे ‘मधुर भंडारकर’ बनने की राह पर तो नहीं? [2/5]           

BAJIRAO MASTANI: In the League of Potential Classics! [4/5]

It is not 1960. Films don’t get tagged as ‘classics’ these days anymore. They are either judged by the sound of money they made at the box-office or the number of award-logos they managed to put in the opening graphic-slides before the actual film starts. Watching a 197-min long MUGHAL-E-AZAM, today in theatres, can in fact destroy the very idea of a ‘classic’ for a regular guy who’s not much into cinema, and has come out only to please his grandparents. In times of the shorter, darker and more realistic indie films, Sanjay Leela Bhansali shows the guts to bless Indian screens with the legacy that believed in telling stories from the historical past in the most decorous manner. Classics are made like that only. And to the expectations, Bhansali doesn’t falter in any of the art-forms used while making this motion-picture. Magnum-opus BAJIRAO MASTANI is mesmeric in every frame, mind-blowing in every performance and miraculously magical in depicting Bhansali’s perfectly designed yet tortured world of love chained in pain, angst and grief.

The great Maratha Warrior Peshwa Bajirao [Ranveer Singh] is rising as an invincible threat to the Mughal Empire and its supporting forces. He’s a rare and unbeatable combination of power, passion and mental strength. In his mission to build ‘Akhand Bharat’, he lends his help to his neighboring state Bundelkhand and the victory brings him close to the daughter of its king Chhatrasal. Fearless Mastani [Deepika Padukone] being half-Rajput, half-Muslim girl, is now destined to face the extreme dislike, heavy rejections and sharp protests from everyone around Peshwa. If Bajirao’s first wife Kashibai [Priyanka Chopra] uses her silence against the injustice to her love and loyalty, the religious bodies declare it in full vocal. Bajirao may have the honor to never taste a defeat in any of the battles he appears in but this conflict between love, loyalty, religion and political establishments will definitely put him on the spot. Despite being a 3-century old political love-story, BAJIRAO MASTANI speaks on various grounds that are still much in fashion. In one of the few ‘in your face’ scenes, Mastani encounters one religion-protector with, “religions might have chosen one particular color dedicated to represent them. But the colors never go for any religion.” The social elimination of second marriage and love outside marriage gets thrashed heartlessly despite the Peshwa himself being in it.

With BAJIRAO MASTANI, Sanjay Leela Bhansali pays his homage to MUGHAL-E-AZAM and it shows upfront. The plot-development itself vouches for the same. You don’t need a hint to find a reference in Mohe Panghat Pe Nandlal for Shreya Ghoshal’s Mohe Rang Do Lal. Bhansali also doesn’t hesitate to repeat himself in Pinga where both the leading actresses join the stage to recreate Madhuri-Aishwarya’s sensational faceoff in DEVDAS. Albela Sajan from HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM also gets a harmonious mention. Film’s extremely melodic numbers establish Bhansali’s another talent to look for [He’s the sole composer for the film]. The canvas of the film is richly done in visual effects, especially the battle-sequences and it succeeds in creating the era, setting and sight the story finds its root in. The excellence in camerawork, art-design and costumes make every frame a reason to celebrate the spirit of cinema.

On the performances, BAJIRAO MASTANI wholly rests and rises on Ranveer Singh’s prolific shoulders. Who can think of a regular looking guy in BAND BAAJA BARAAT taking on one of the most powerful characters in Indian history? And with such finesse? He is graceful, glorious and gifted. Deepika is another talent who’s constantly making fresh impressions with one electrifying performance after other. Her Mastani is tremendously bold, brave and bright. As devoted wife with pastoral looks and approach, Priyanka Chopra is in her finest form. Though her character-graph doesn’t allow her to go overboard beyond a point, she excels in her restricted skin. Tanvi Azmi as the mother and Milind Soman in a supporting role manage to hold your attention and admiration.

At the end, BAJIRAO MASTANI is not a classic. Not now. May be after a decade but not yet. It is 2 hr 38 min long. Most of us will find it dragged. Most of us will consider it outdated. But it successfully holds the fort of being in the league of films that have plenty potential to be referred as a ‘classic’. This is how one should dream his films and film his dreams. The master is at his best! [4/5]

DIL DHADAKNE DO: Parents, O Parents! A long family affair! [3.5/5]

An ideal family is a myth. Issues like gender discrimination, forceful implementations of the patriarchy power, constant manipulations over fake morality, compromises for the sake of saving relationships and a flair of hypocrisy even in the most sober looking character do lie in every family. It’s only a matter of time to experience what will surface and when. A dysfunctional family as they call it is nothing but an elaborated term for any family out in this world. Zoya Akhtar's DIL DHADAKNE DO offers you a chance for a paid visit to one of these 'dysfunctional' families.

Anil Kapoor plays the ‘self-made’ millionaire Mehra, who’s celebrating his 30^th marriage anniversary with Mrs. Mehra [Shefali Shah] on a cruise. The daughter Mehra [Priyanka Chopra] losing her surname now to her husband’s after marriage is irked with the invitation-card not carrying her name as a family-member. The son Mehra [Ranveer Singh] is trying his hard to fit in his father’s shoes. Along with some close friends and relatives, Mehras are out on loose on the cruise. Everything looks perfectly planned, well-designed, glossy, shiny and desirable until the real issues within the family start melting down all the plastics on the most beautiful looking faces on earth. The daughter Mehra wants to move in life and is now asking for a divorce. The son Mehra is blackmailed emotionally to marry the daughter of one of the possible business partners. The catch for the son Mehra is a private jet he finds his true love in. Parents, O parents!

Zoya Akhtar with Reema Kagti presents to you a gorgeous looking family you might wish to have in your next life but with the short and sour problems chances are you’re already facing in this very life. Who haven’t been preached all his life hearing the same-old struggle-story of his father from the horse’s mouth? Do mothers ever fail in ‘baby-ing’ the son even if he’s started dating hot babes? And then, there is this epic scheming side of the parents who are alive only to see their sons/daughters getting married. The best part is the Zoya-Reema duo doesn’t try to sink you in the murkiness of the situations but saves you with the quirk in dialogues and a flashy wit in the nature of the characters. Despite a certain kind of dreariness in the plot and the slacken off duration, film manages to keep you smiling for the most parts.

With a picturesque star-cast that looks like coming to a special edition magazine cover photo-shoot, DIL DHADKANE DO never actually has a dull frame. Even the brigade of supporting actors like Divya Seth Shah, Parmeet Sethi, Vandana Sajnani, Ridhima Sud, Vikrant Massey and Manoj Pahwa charmingly finds its place to rise and shine. Also Farhan, Priyanka, Rahul Bose and Anushka are branded names to come up with performances you can’t crib about but eventually DIL DHADAKNE DO finds its acting-giants in Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Shefali Shah. All of these three names have rediscovered themselves in their own way. Anil Kapoor’s performance as a suave, money-driven, self-centered, crude, controlling and calculative patriarch is terrific. Ranveer Singh surprises as well. Probably for the first time, he has brought something called subtly in his performance and it’s totally rewarding. Move over his ‘ever ready’ charged up energy assurance, here is an actor a lot more yet to be explored. Shefali Shah is brilliant and makes you wonder why Bollywood hasn’t given her yet what she deserves. Well done, Ma’am!

To conclude, DIL DHADAKNE DO suffers two major slip-ups. One being the length of the film of course and the other is the narration given by none other than Aamir Khan lending his voice to the younger Mehra of the family; a dog! Yes, you heard it right.  Now, this can be an ‘Aww’ moment for puppy-loving beauties but for the film, it does throw a fit of boredom on you. Watch out for some real ‘surprising’ performances and dialogue-driven humor! [3.5/5]

CREATURE (3D): ‘Khooni Darinda' by Vikram ‘Ramsay’ of 2014! [1.5/5]

There is a monster on loose in the forests of Himachal Pradesh. Allegedly it is a ‘BrahmRakshasa’ described well in Hindu Mythology as half man-half animal breed cursed by Lord Brahma and to kill it, one should have weapons dipped in the ashes of Peepal tree leaves but wait, it doesn’t work and as Rakesh Bedi gets amazed in the famous Kaayam Choorna TV Commercial, the lead protagonist admits, “Ispe toh inn goliyon ka bhi asar nahin”. Thank God, there is a Plan B mentioned somewhere! Now, we have bullets soaked in the holy water of a famous Hindu Sacred temple, that too on the most auspicious day of the year!

This is not a sleazy story in 90’s ‘Manohar Kahaaniyaan’. This is not a Ramsay Brothers B-grade horror. This is a Vikram Bhatt film labeled as ‘India’s first creature film’ and shamefully seeing light of the day in 2014. Bollywood should get a round of applause for coming so far in all these years! Silliness can be fun; absurdity sometimes does produce entertainment of some kind but so much of regressive approach! Someone somewhere definitely needs a serious therapy and in this case, my sympathies are with the makers.

CREATURE (3D) has Bipasha Basu, playing a hotelier with a past and pills to fight anxiety and the way she acts, you can make out from a mile ago that her medical condition is all made up to show her breathing heavily (…titillating for some, irritating for most) and with all the intensity. She has done masters in the same from of course the ‘Bhatt school of Horror’. You should learn from her how to start or end a conversation with a terrible vocal act of exhaling or inhaling. And if that was not enough, we have Imran Abbas Naqvi supposedly a TV star in Pakistan. Watching him acting in a ‘one expression’ mode is like paying tribute to all the John Abrahams of Bollywood. Why would you need to go out of this country to find such waste? We haven’t done with producing at our own yet.

Now let’s get back to the primary cause for what the film has eventually been made. The 10-feet tall, Hulk-mates-dinosaur, man-eating monster created in highly potent visual graphics machines. No doubt, Bollywood has never seen anything like it before. And seriously, I don’t have any issues with how well it is made or just not but in the genre of horror, there is a certain rule. You can never unleash your force of horror wide-open in daylight to just show off how efficient you were at the execution level. It’s just a week before Priyanka Chopra advised in MARY KOM, “kisi ko itna bhi mat darao, ki darr hi khatam ho jaaye”. There comes a time when you only look at it and ask to yourself, “what the hell is this?”…for the creature and the film also!

With inert songs modeled on Bhatt Camps earlier hits (‘Mehboob ki’ song of Imran’s intro is actually influenced by ‘Saanso ki jaroorat’ from AASHIQUI), terribly average dialogues and an exhaustingly irritating climax, this is a film that doesn’t deserve your attention, money or time. Vikram Bhatt was once a progeny of Mahesh Bhatt School of cinema. He is now creating one of his own, parallel to Ram Gopal Verma’s and Sajid Khan’s! You can ignore him…and the film! [1.5/5] 

MARY KOM: Brands Shine in Real Mary Vs. Reel Mary! [2.5/5]

Considering the miserable condition of sports in India, while looking at the 2-min long sponsorship slide-show at the very beginning of the film; there is no prospect one would not sink in deep thoughts as if these many filthy rich business honchos would dare to promote the real life heroes in sports and not just a plain voracious commercial film on few of them, today we would have more than just one Mary Kom or Milkha Singh to be proud of. Art director-turned-film director Omung Kumar’s biopic MARY KOM is an ambitious film yet a noticeable victim of box-office centered commercialization in Indian cinema. And it hurts more than the innumerable solid muscular punches on our actor-in-desperation Priyanka Chopra’s face in the film!

Born as Mangte Chungneijang, Mary Kom is a five-time world boxing champion hailing from the outer world of Manipur. Earnestly we didn’t know much about her or I would say we were not much bothered until the announcement of this very biopic, but the saddest part is even the film, despite a great promise; plays quite cold towards its central character. In a very hectic and harried manner, we are told about her passion towards boxing, her uprise as a noted player in the ring followed by a quickie downfall in her career post-pregnancy.

Saiwyn Quadras’ story is packed with drama and thrills at regular intervals but never actually shocks you with its inevitable nature in the story-telling. Look at the plot development and you can easily identify the set formulaic patterns of just any sports film, only relief is that its central character is a woman, a mother of two and an underdog from one of the most deserted & sidelined states in India. Bollywood hardly and rarely shows guts of this kind!

MARY KOM’s biggest strength is its environs that plant you in the very real-very existent lush green world of North-East. Most of the supporting cast and people around in every frame make themselves rooted in the place they are directed to be in. But two odd things out that you can’t miss or ignore are the brand positioning and, despite not owning any symmetry or likeness in physical appearances, Priyanka Chopra’s firmness in will and exhorting efforts of all kinds to blur the line between real and reel Mary. So whenever you find yourself in awe to be inspired from the living sports legend being portrayed on the screen, there is one or other product placement ready to mellow down all the intensity, force and passion flowing out. An age-old pain-relief ointment, pregnancy test kit, low-calorie sweetener and what not! You can actually play ‘Spot the Brand’ exercise with friends, later.

Priyanka helms the brigade with some of the real promising talents. Darshan Kumar as Onler- the all season supportive husband to Mary is a revelation. He charms the screen with unconventional looks and true to life acting skills. Sunil Thapa as Mary’s strong-headed coach is impressive, so is the actor playing Mary’s father.

My issues with the film can go as much further as some of the sequences appearing too dramatic to be actual but let’s not get into it more and admire the fact that Bollywood has challenged itself with a subject not very common in practice! Better late than never, I say! Some stories need to be told. This is one. Had it been more focused, would have been better! [2.5/5]

GUNDAY: Drama drives a bumpy ride! Story thrown to back seat!! [2.5/5]

If 70’s hit box-office formula, exploited mercilessly later in 90’s, of macho-giri, hero-panthi & solid dialogue-baazi could still guarantee an out-sized rage in entertainment, YashRaj film’s GUNDAY would have easily been a winner all the way but what it misses out in translation is the unforeseen elements in the plot. So, GUNDAY- the saga of love, friendship & betrayal remains limited and disappoints for the most part.

In a GANGS OF WASSEYPUR-ish docudrama style of narration, Irrfan playing a confident cop takes us back in 1971’s Bangladesh where 2 young guns are forced to flee and find a shelter in Calcutta only to rise as the second most famous [infamous would do the justice] craze after the monumental Howrah Bridge. These so-called ‘local Robinhoods’ & the biggest goons of their times [Ranveer playing Bikram and Arjun being Bala] are into every illegal business in the list. So far so good, but then the next chain of events is not very tricky to track down when both fall in ‘sachche wala pyaar’ with the same girl [Priyanka Chopra sizzles as a cabaret dancer]. Film gets derailed from being a hardcore anti-hero film to bring down the dysfunctional system to a typical romantic triangle with an outdated pinch of betrayal and misunderstandings coming in the way of friendship and love.

Setting a story in 70’s-80’s brings plenty of interesting nuances in the plot to rejoice. Rajesh Khanna is mentioned as a superstar girls fall for, for more than once. Mithun da’s dance moves are hard to ignore in choreography. Bappi Lahiri’s voice is prominently used to catch the bong-connection. The colors and characters also smell rustic & next-door [One specific character can’t stop himself addressing his bloodthirsty rival as ‘dada’]. Obviously the direction is on the right track but obviousness in plot kills the grandness of GUNDAY. Why to borrow [Copy-paste] from storylines that are done-to-death? I don’t have any clue and I guess the thinking tanks behind this would also not have a justification.

Film if manages to hold your attention, despite being tad lengthy by at least 15-20 minutes, the credit goes to its production value which makes it a grandeur explosion of drama on screen, the performances mainly of Irrfan who is regular but delightfully charming with some of the cheesiest lines and an attitude that becomes skin to the character and last but not the least the high-voltage drama. Whatever happens here happens in a slow-motion technique. Everyone appears from a hazy-foggy-smoky background. Punches hit the chiseled body in high-speed. In the rest, Ranveer outshines with a good performance. Arjun impresses but not without showing limitations as an actor. Priyanka does it the way she’s known to.

Overall, Ali Abbas Jafar’s glorification of anti-heroes ends up in a lengthy bumpy ride that is enjoyable in parts, grand in looks but definitely not worthy enough to be a descendant of bygone era’s masala/mass entertainers. Watch it if your idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day is nothing else but to see two shirtless men fighting for one girl. [2.5/5]  

KRRISH 3: Unimaginative, unoriginal, borrowed and a bigger disappointment! [2/5]

If you heard something like, “agar mera yeh experiment kaamyaab ho gaya, main yeh-main woh…” you should never be in doubts that you are watching a science-fiction movie (…from Bollywood ofcourse). But thrice?...in the whole 2 hour 33 min of duration filled with inspired yet uninspiring visual effects?? Really?? Then sure you ought to have your uncertainties on gravity of the skilled writing.

In other scene, when a superhero supposedly killed by the evil returns inexplicably or rather in a scientific breakthrough too suitable to sound plausible, a kid confronts the shocked & shaken baddie played by Vivek Oberoi as, “kyun? Phat gayi kya?”. Well, the audience laughed but I couldn’t as if we really want our kids to grow in such shape. Though eventually it is a family entertainer, Rakesh Roshan’s KRRISH 3 can’t be declared sole responsible for that but definitely for being least original, least entertaining & for shamelessly taking cues from the past hits of the west. On one hand, Sr. Roshan tries to woo you with extensive visual effects never seen before in India, but also never lets his gluttony go off to encash the Indian sentimental spree. So, the plot goes for the toss in order to swing aimlessly between the both!

Krishna (Hrithik Roshan in a tailor-made role) is trying his hard to balance his life in Mumbai with his father Rohit (Jr. Roshan again in a comparatively more charming role) & wife Priya (Priyanka Chopra in a regular), between his normal routine and the disappearing ‘superhero’ acts as Krrish to save people’s lives. Meanwhile, an evil mind named Kaal (Vivek Oberoi in a menacing character interestingly modeled on the similar lines of Sir Juda in Subhash Ghai’s KARZ) is busy creating an army of MAANVARs (Mutants from the fusion of humans with animals) to rule the world and regain his powers. Rest is all about how the two clash & collide with their own set of intentions to destroy buildings, demolish towers and make people (especially viewers more than the ones on screen) suffer not only physically but mentally and emotionally too.

Theoretically, a superhero movie needs an upper hand on the VFX front. KRRISH 3 fulfills that basic rule by creating some of the unseen effects in Indian cinema but ‘is that enough’ is the biggest question. There is not one single action/ VFX sequence in the film that comes with an ‘original’ tag…and I bet if you can show me at least one! I wish if the team of writers would have sit more on the plot to make it inspiring rather than deciding on what all effects we can borrow from Hollywood Hits to thrill the audience! KOI MIL GAYA has proved in the past that if incorporated smartly in the plot, even the emotional quotient would work as a strong share of interest, but sadly here in KRRISH 3 it was all done just for the sake of it. Novelty is gone already and now the sensibility too.

On the performance side, there is no second thought on Hrithik being the crowd puller. He maintains the level he has achieved. He charms you with his intensity, his ability and his skills as a complete performer. Vivek as Kaal is strictly average. Kangna as his one of the mutants has an interesting role to pull out. She is poised. She is confident. She is promising. Priyanka Chopra incidentally has nothing new to surprise.

In an advanced world of technology, where even kids have opened all the possible windows to access latest landmarks in the said field, I am not very sure if KRRISH 3 would be able to make it to their appreciation. It only makes you believe in an unsaid rule that medium can never rule out the message, especially if it is borrowed, clichéd, corny, tacky and unimaginative. Think twice before buying your tickets! [2/5]  

ZANJEER : Get yourself chained if you can’t hold your urge to watch but stay away! [0.5/5]

I know it is a bit exaggerated reaction but can we propose a cinema ACT or a regulation kind of thing in bollywood so that filmmakers like Ram Gopal Verma gets a ban […for shorter span at least] on making films further, after committing horrendous  crime of remaking old bollywood classics? But wait! He’s not alone there on the top […of the worsts] to enjoy all the beatings, Apoorva Lakhia joins him with his rare gem ZANJEER- a so-called official remake of 70’s Amitabh Bachchan starrer game-changer of same name! It is so disgusting that even calling it a film would mean immense disrespect to cinema.

Where the old classic, directed by Prakash Mehra was packed with good music, powerful performances, solid punches in the writing, a totally engaging story-line and possibly the need of the hour to represent anger of the youth, reciprocating in a blasting yet controlled aggressive manner to better the society,  Lakhia’s tribute goes wrong on all aspects. Neither it tries to entertain nor does it create the need to tell something or the other to its audiences. It merely looks like someone had an itch to satisfy his ‘though not found any traces of’ creative cells. It is a first in long time where everyone competes with each other not to offer their best but the worst.

Southern superstar Ram Charan plays ACP Vijay Khanna who in particular, can be seen wearing formals in day/on duty and a police uniform while being at home with his girl. That can also be cleared in explanatory debate but what about those couple of stiffed expressions on his face for most parts? Then, there is this ‘raghupati raaghav rajaram’ tune in the background whenever he decides to take a walk from the scene in slow-motion. Priyanka Chopra looks disinterested and takes her part so much for granted as if she has come for a picnic. Prakash Raj as the stylishly all docked up villain Teja bores with his one-dimensional comical portrayals of bad guys in recent. He doesn't offer anything new and that is a serious concern. Mahi Gill as Mona Darling irritates. Sanjay Dutt finds himself in shoes of Pran saab as Sher Khan but consoles with his looks only. In an added subplot, Atul Kulkarni plays an honest journalist with investigative instinct, loosely based on the real life crime journo J. Dey, murdered in suspicious circumstances.    

Overall, it is a sloppy-shoddy-shaky attempt that can only be dumped down as a trash. Watching it could make you feel like torturing yourself for all the sins you have been doing all these years. Some films accidentally entertain you with a certain level of absurdity and overtly self-indulgence; this doesn't even reach there to bring some relief. The worst of the year! Get yourself chained if you can’t hold your urge to watch but stay away at any cost! [0.5/5]