Saturday, February 15, 2014

Gunday


Cast: Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla, Victor Banerjee, Pankaj Tripathi, Darshan Gurjar, Jayesh V Kardak
Genre: Crime, Action, Drama, Romance
Direction: Ali Abbas Zafar
Production: Aditya Chopra, Padam Bhushan (Line Producer), Aashish Singh (Exceutive Producer)
Story: Ali Abbas Zafar, Sanjay Masoom (Additional Dialogue)
Screenplay : Ali Abbas Zafar
Cinematographer: Aseem Mishra
Music: Sohail Sen, Julius Packiam (Background score)
Editing : Rameshwar S Bhagat
Studio : Yash Raj Films
Release Date: 14th February, 2014
Language: Hindi
Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes
Rating: 3/5 (Good, only for its cast)
Gunday (गुंडे), is built upon the same old formulae – two friends falling in love with the same girl, friendship turning sour, heroes as gunday (as per the law) but maseeha for the poor… we have seen it all. Gunday, although not falling under the genre of my preference, let me be unbiased in reviewing the same.
The movie begins at the backdrop of 1971 war, where Bangladesh as a country was born. It gave birth to lot of orphans and refugees. Gunday is about two young orphans Bikram and Bala who witnessed the war and its aftermath. Refugee camp turned out to be a hell rather than a shelter for them, where the seeds of gunday was sown. Fighting for survival, the inseparable duo escaped to Calcutta (now Kolkatta). The young Bikram and Bala enacted by Darshan Gurjar and Jayesh V Kardak reminded me of Salim Malik – Jamal Malik (played by Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) of slumdog millionaire. Both Darshan and Jayesh have given fabulous performance.

The grown up Bikram (Ranveer Singh) and Bala (Arjun Kapoor) with their illegal business (they have justification for all these) started ruling Calcutta and became its most loved, most celebrated, most reckless, most fearless, and most powerful ... Gunday!
There comes the entry of gorgeous Nandita (Priyanka Chopra), a cabaret dancer who swept both Bikram and Bala off their feet. There are certain light moments when both Bikram and Bala try to woo Nandita turn by turn. I wish, these moments could have been prolonged a little more. Nandita has given some sensuous performance through dance sequences. Although her costumes don’t belong to 80’s era of fashion.
Irrfan Khan as ACP Satyajeet Sarkar has definitely added his style, cool, composure to the character. He plans a chakraviewh and the movie moves ahead to let us know whether and how Bikram, Bala get trapped in that chakraviewh. Irrfan is also the narrator.
Music by Sohail Sen is good. Jashn-e-Ishqa, Jiya, Tune maari entriyaan and Aslame-Ishqum have ranked well in the chart-busters. Irshad Kamil as penned down some good lyrics. Cinematography by Aseem Mishra highlights Hoogly, Howra Bridge, fish market… the specialties of Calcutta.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar has definitely tried to take out the best from Ranveer and Arjun, although I felt Arjun’s expressions betrayed his dialogue at times – ‘Ye tevar humare khoon me hai’. I need to mention that I missed the director Ali Abbas Zafar of Mere Brother ki Dulhan fame in this movie.
Saurabh Shukla is natural and effortless as always.
It is disheartening that Gunday has nothing new to offer. Very predictable plot.
Watch Gunday only for Ranveer & Arjun’s chemistry, Irrfan’s tactful cop act and Priyanka’s dance numbers.
Alas! Gunday …Hum Gunday the, Gunday hain aur Gunday rahenge… Koi hume sudhaar nahi sakta…   


No comments:

Post a Comment