This was what Sajid Khan had said in his show ’’Ikke pe Ikka’’ about the lead men of the movie Sunil Shetty and Ajay Devgan. Why not, both the heroes have dark personas, they love wearing all black costumes, and they also look dark in terms of complexion. But if Sajid was saying that ’’Black-males’’ in the negative context, he needs to reconsider coz ’’Black-males’’ looks more like a positive publicity and gives the movie a ’’Men-In-Black’’ type image!
Blackmail is a movie truly made to please the cinegoer who loves action. If action is your appetite in all forms, you will be welcoming Blackmail with open arms in a theater near you. Its almost a decade since two of the Bollywood’s most acclaimed action heroes---Sunil Shetty and Ajay Devgan----collided on screen to give us an action-filled treat. But the wait was over this Jan. when Blackmail came out. The movie, despite good action, well promoted and melodious music, Ajay and Shetty’s starpower, Priyanka’s rising status as an actor, didn’t open to packed houses. But one thing about Blackmail was that just like Jurm, it didn’t have glitches. It didn’t try to be the best in its kind---it just tried to be simplest and thats where it succeeds!
The viewer doesn’t need to think about complex situations as there aren’t any in the movie---it’s just a simple one! You just have to keep your eyes on the screen and u’ll be all set---in for a treat if you’re an action fan. Infact, despite its not-so-HUGE- budget, Blackmail by Anil Devgan provides one of the best action sequences Bollywood has ever witnessed! It doesn’t try to be another Matrix and has its own kinds of action sequences. For instance the sequence with the Giant wheel is a treat for action fans as I can in one word, describe it as BREATH-TAKING! The performance of Mukesh Rishi, the child artist, and ofcourse Ajay Devgan is simply amazing as per the scene’s requirements.
The viewer, at least if a fan of action, doesn’t feel cheated after the movie is over just thanks to the amazing stunts in the simple movie. Therefore to emphasize, Blackmail doesn’t have an amazing storyline or funfilled and laughable moments, so if you like the meaningful or Yashraj kind of cinema, you have the right to stay away from the movie. But if you want to see Bollywood get its own KIND OF novel version and not carbon copied stunts from Matrix/MI/2Fast2Furious, you can go check out Blackmail, especially the teen boys who will go and enjoy the movie together at, and that too especially in a cinema outing! Its highly recommended for that age group to go in the cinema on a holiday, you won’t be disappointed. Months after the release of Blackmail, I know it’s a BO flop but still watching it on DVD with hometheatre system connected would be a treat for all the action lovers.
Another area where Blackmail might score with even some family audiences who can bare the violent action scenes is it’s emotional content. It doesn’t have the romantic touch of Yashraj but it does have an emotional father-son connection which is beautifully presented in the movie. The music, although the songs are poorly placed, is of good quality. Tune di bekarari and Jaana nahin tha stand out as great tunes that stay in your memory and are very hummable even once the screening is over!
If you’re a Sunil Shetty fan and expect him to be a great ’’Man In Black’’, you will be disappointed! Labeled by many as the best action hero in Bollywood, Shetty hardly gets himself involved in even a single fight! He is rather just there with a police force to chase the criminal Ajay. In the process, Shetty gets badly overshadowed by Ajay and even Mukesh Rishi, and the child artist who too get the meatier roles. It’s that much disappointing. Myself being a decent fan of Shetty’s acting prowess, I felt he was wasted in a role that could’ve been done by just about anyone now that even his starpower failed to save the movie. Hope that Dus can do the magic and bring this stylish action hero back into his own! Priyanka Chopra gets out of her chocolaty image right into the role of a mother, which one must say is a bold move. Kareena did well in Bewafaa but seriously, Priyanka is so hot and younglooking, that she doesn’t even look one bit like a mother. Ofcourse there is no offense to Kareena, even she looks pretty good these days, and anyways both ladies had adopted kids in the movie so they weren’t made to play real mothers. But overall, Priyanka’s role too is too short in the movie to present herself as a mother, she just fails to deliver. But the fact is that she is still quite sought-after in Bollywood after the success of Aitraaz and Waqt. Her forthcoming movies will determine if she really will go according to many predictions and reach the top!
Dia Mirza looks like a doll but has nothing much to do. Though in her recent movies like Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai and Tumsa Nahin Dekha, she has proven that she knows acting and deserves to have much better roles than that of just a beauty! Mukesh Rishi and the child artist were both adequate. But the man who steals the show is none other than Ajay Devgan. I said this in Kaal, and I say that here again, Ajay you’re too good pal. Ajay doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, especially if his opponents are either too weak actors for him or unfortunately like Shetty (who is talented but is restricted to a much weaker role). So Ajay should rather share screen space with a bigger star to win all accolades he deserves. For instance he won many nominations for confronting the Big B successfully in Khakee. Now, if rumors are true and he does sign a movie with SRK, that would be great. The chemistry would be well awaited and I am sure worth the wait. Ajay’s career is going great guns performance wise but all he needs desperately is a hit which would bring him back on Bollywood’s A-List!
Overall, Blackmail is a good watch only if you have nothing else to do. I was bored and watched it to kill time with minimal expectations. Thus I wasn’t disappointed. Everyone else needs to have the same mind frame to enjoy it at home now that it’s off the theatres. But really, it gets my recommendation for all the action fans to watch it in the theatre as a group had it been playing still in the theatres!