After watching teasers with Randeep Hooda’s Haryanvi accent and sleeveless vests, I got to confess, I have been drooling to watch this movie just because of this Hotness. He is one of the under-rated actors and God knows why Bollywood does this to him. Still a mystery.
Laal Rang is Randeep’s one of the best performances and Director Syed Ahmad Afzal in his sophomore has managed one more venture.
The story is about Shankar(Randeep Hooda) who runs a successful blood donation racket and a young drifter Rajesh Dhiman(Akshay Oberoi) who gets enrolled for a diploma in Hooda’s Medical Technology Lab. Rajesh is so impressionable and awe-struck by Shankar’s swagger, attitude, ideas to make money under the table and his Yamaha RX100 which, according to movie, makes men irresistible to women(found it kind of cheesy). Soon Shankar takes him under his wings and teaches all the tricks to the business. Director Syed Ahmad Afzal has embellished quite a few moments in the movie; the male bonding, rustic humour, rough language, loud people, restlessness of small town people which lightens the mood and not over-dramatize the movie.
Leading lady, Piaa Bajpai plays Rajesh’s classmate Poonam Sharma and Meenakshi Dixit for Hooda whom he keeps ogling and pines around her. Shankar plays a fiercely loyal friend and a passionate lover. His character is not posed as some heartless ogre but with unusual positive characters that even takes care of his donors.
The story gets convoluted when it is thrown back in time, but a simple narration could have done the deal. What can come between two friends? A girl, who suggests her guy to earn before they can get married and the guy ends up getting greedy. Money can be a real deal-breaker at times. One of the professional donor dies after giving blood once or too many and a case is filed. Gajraj Singh plays the role of new SP in town and vows to shut down all the wrong doers. Further what happens is rest for others to watch(no spoilers).
One thing that I cannot forget are the constant aerial shots of Karnal, such grandeur from above which paints a different scene from on-ground dust and dull.
In few words, Randeep Hooda fans will like this movie, no jab-in-face scenes but utter enjoyment of his talent. Randeep Hooda as a true-blue Jat is sinister and charming, yet this movie fails to break him from his image. Story is bit entangled, requires little focus, more or less loses the plot. Execution is sloppy while the idea was novel.