Not many movies can be categorized as Genius. Also, many genius movies don’t get categorized as such as they are commercial, they are not pre 60s! :) & also they are not black-n-white!
In my opinion, movies like Sarfarosh, Satya, Ardhasatya & of course Andaz Apana Apana qualify for this adjective. One more such movie that I felt was a genius effort was ’Rangeela’. It took only up-to interval to make me attest and declare it as one of the best I have seen. (Not that life change a bit after my approval!) :)
-------The Plot-------
Lets keep it simple here. One tapori guy (Munna) loves a girl (Mily) & is a good family friend of theirs. He earns money by doing black-marketing of movie tickets. The girl wants to be a successful actress & works as an extra/dancer in songs etc. She gets a break thanks to gracious actor (Kamal) who also starts aspiring her. Well, what happens in the end should be watched on screen or maybe you already know it! The movie also touches several aspects of Film Industry with a comic sort of view.
------- Characterrization -- Acting -------
How about characterization? The Vidhu Vinod Chopra look-alike (and similar pseudo-intellectual thought-process) is portrayed to perfection by Gulshan Grover. I am sure director had Vidhu V. Chopra in sight while shooting this one. The Spielberg like cap and the dialogs like ’Meri competition idhawalonse hain hi nahi..meri toh sirf hollywood walon se hain’ portray it perfectly. Also when he speaks to an ordinary guy (watching the shooting) about all this and then the guy says ’Main Apaka Dukh samazh sakata hun’...is just grrrreat!
The Sridevi and her Amma are also targeted very well. The producer begging in front of them is also comic but highly realistic! The dialogs like ’Are Pankha leke ana....2’ & ’Sir Chikku shake abhi nahi milega November main milega --- Toh November main jaake laa’ is too cool but also makes you think.
Urmila does a GREAT Job. From this movie she re-created her image as a the hot-babe of the industry. She almost got a re-birth thanks to Ram Gopal Verma. She displayed above average acting skills & director kept her previously dramatic actions in check. Her appearance in the songs is phenomenal, her dancing ability was never under cloud but with this movie she also got that glamorous/sexy touch which lived for next 3/4 years.
Umrila’s family (Reema, Brother and Father) have given 100% & look like a family from real life. Her brother is specially hilarious. ’Pakya’ as usual Joshi gave a stunning performance. So bad we lost this versatile actor just when he was coming up. Gulshan Grover has done complete justice to the role & so did Jackie. He has done so many hot scenes with Urmila in the movie that makes the public jealous! :)
-------The AAMIR Factor----------
Of course, along with the director/dialog writer; the movie belongs to Raja-Hindustani(yuck movie!) Aamir Khan. He is amazing & spot-on without a hint of melodrama and over-doing (like Shahrukh in Josh) in his portrayal of a Tapori but honest guy. He teaches us that to display a perfect tapori sort of guy from reality one doesn’t need to be a stereotype. Is this guy a genius or what!? What a great observation of the daily experience in Mumbai or any city in Maharashtra for that matter. Check out dialogs in the 1st comment to get an idea how a genuine tapori character takes shape. He is no natural in his dialogs and so reactive at times..it is hard to believe that he belongs to method acting school of Dilip Kumar. (Shahrukh even though copies Yusuf-Bhai is not from that league. He is the same in every movie unlike Dilip Kumar who used to come across as the character & not Dilip Kumar despite being a hard-worker and a methodical actor).
So many instances show Aamir’s genius: Han 1 ye kone ka hain aur 1 dusare! ; Haan..Bol dalne ka baap...! ; Are tu aisa daring karata raha na...toh bahot jaldi tereko ladies chappal ka dukan kholana padega...! & the drunk-laugh after that is just classic! The best one in my opinions is when he argues that even if Kamal is in the movie he has rigths to criticize it Are appan public hain public...jahan apana paisa wasul nahi usaka Dabba Gul. His reaction to Jackie: Ha janta hain fight achha karata hain... or ; Apoon black karata hain are also gem.
Hi much talked about Aaaj apoon ka happy b-day re...& the yellow suit is well known. The best touch is kya thakela jagaha hain yaar..sirf furniture pe kharcha kiya kya...khane pine pe nahi!?’ The way he approaches the secrity guard at the front-door. & the best one ’Mily apaun kya bolata hain ki adami ko jindagi main settle hone ko mangata hain!’; & (AC)To idhar ghuma na!
The best thing is in the end he says ’Apun ko lafada nahi karaneka hain..apun ko kisike beechmain nahi aneka hain.’ & thenh when Jackie tries to convince him that there is nothing betwen them & he is just a colleague etc, Aamir pats his shoulder in a very meaniglful way...they both understand what they mean & what they have to do! Good Stuff without getting Centy etc. Similar way when Aamir says to Sultan’s mother in Sarfarosh ’Maaf kijiyega, kabhi kabhi sakti baratani padati hain’ Only aamir in the new generation udnerstands and can act in such a subtle manner. Needs a lot of secured mentality & a healthy/stable mind...one that Shahrukh (sadly) lacks!
-------MUSIC : The REHMAN Factor-------
Simply superb. If I am not wrong, till this movie AR Rehman was branded as repetitive and monotonous etc etc. Not after this movie. This was a great break for him too. The initial Rangeelaaa Rrrrre is just perfect. The filming is first rate & the end of the song is also innovative (Milllyyy). Asha Bhosale is grrrrreaaaat. She gave somewhat different and special voice for Urmila Matondkar.
Udit makes wonder with ’Yaaro Sun lo jara haan apana ye kehena’...& also ’Mere Bhaay...Ke ik taraf to usse pyar kare hum aur usako bhi ye kehense dare hum’. The patakha song ’Tanaha Tanaha’ is groovy & sort of a reason for movie’s initial audience! :) The AR Rehman sung ’Mangata hain kya woh bolo’ is different but a ’sahi’ song. The filming is again great with both Aamir and Urmila giving 100% (specially the eye-movement & the thing with feet).
Sensual ’Haay Rama ye kya huwa’ stretches a little too much but is not bad on eyes at all! :) The centy ’Kabhi gum ye deta kabhi khushi deta hain’ is above average.
The scene where Jackie notices Urmila on the beech also shows Rehman’s masterpiece. It is a treat to listen to such music & also watch Urmila perform flawlessly on it. Very refreshing. There are many scenes that leave impression on your mind & every time the background music is the one enhancing the effect.
-------Conclusion-------
As you can see this is a ROCKIN movie. A Must watch and a must own sort of. Like Jo Jeeta Woh Sikandar and Sarfarosh, it has a great repeat value. This is a family entertainer. To check how moronish filmfare has been: Jo Jeeta and Rangeela didn’t get the best actor awar for Aamir but Raja Hindustani did !!! :)