Gangster, produced by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Anurag Bose, is a story of complex relationships, misplaced ambition and unmitigated greed.Since majority of thereviews have revealed the story , I won’t do that..
Expect the unexpected…
This adage suits Gangster more than any Hindi film made in the recent times.Gangster shocks you all the while – and that’s where it scores!
Director has opted for a story that deviates from the monotonous stuff. The film has gloss, lilting music, the works… but the trump card is its script that keeps you on tenterhooks till the very end. The twists and turns, mainly towards the post-interval portions, are actually the USP of this enterprise.
The subject being such, it had to be treated with utmost sensitivity and maturity. And Anurag successfully strikes the right balance between form and content. If the film wears the polished look throughout , the story is innovative and the screenplay entrancing.
The initial portions give the impression that one is watching just another underworld saga. – but it is the interval point that catches you unaware.The post-interval portions are a thrill ride, with plenty of guesses as to what’s going to happen next. Who will win Kangana’s love in the end? Who’s the villain actually? How will this love triangle culminate?… The edge-of-the-seat thriller keeps you glued till the last frame.
But a story like this is an equally risky proposition. For, it is not one of those love triangles that the Indian audience is so used to watching. Moreover, all the three principal characters have shades of grey, which is without doubt a novel viewing experience, but equally dicey as far as the orthodox Indian audiences are concerned.
Anurag deserves full marks for opting for a theme that has not been attempted on the Hindi screen before. His handling of a couple of sequences deserves distinction marks. The ones that can be singled out are those when Siney lands up at Kangana’s home in the first half, then Emraan hatching the conspiracy, the entire climax and the aftermath, the pre-climax when Kangana does an about-turn…
Music is sure to win plaudits. The composer belts out numbers that are easy on the ears and rich in orchestration. ’Ya Ali’, ’tu hi’, ’lamha are musical gems.Lyrics deserve special mention as well. The picturisation of all numbers is visually striking.
Cinematography is excellent. Be it the grandiose look of the project or the stunning locales of Seoul, the outcome is first-rate.
The performances in the enterprise are of a high order. Shiney excels in a role that demanded histrionics. He looks the character he’s been asked to portray and his expressions are just right. The anguish, the agony, the distress his character goes through comes across exceedingly well.
Kangana enacts a complex character and takes to it like a fish to water. The malevolent streak and the scheming look that she carries on his face have been projected brilliantly. She is outstanding in the latter part of the film.
Emraan is terrific. This performance should silence his detractors for sure.
All up Gangster has a fresh cast, a riveting script, the grandiose look and several thrilling moments to take you on a joyride for the next two hours. The film has all it takes to appeal to an avid cinegoer .