Gulab Gang

A delicious looking dish can taste disastrous

 

                Gulab Gang is the perfect example of a film whose makers are caught in a dilemma of intentions; an intention to make a film based on reality or an intention to add spice which they think will earn them money (apparently). Although most of the film makers in India suffer from this syndrome, Gulab Gang is the epitome of their condition.

                In a world of only grey characters, a story of pure Good Vs pure Evil can only be a fiction and that is exactly what the director didn’t take into his account while he wrote the story. Pretending to make a film about certain female groups in pink attire, from rural north India, director Soumik Sen adds enough of nonsense in it which he thinks will make his film saleable. Completely unnecessary songs pop up at regular intervals into the narrative; the seldom cheesy dialogues and weirdly vulgar sequences make it an annoying ride.

 



                Rajjo played by Madhuri Dixit, the gang leader is pitched against the Sumitra Devi played by Juhi Chawla in a local election. Sumirta’s dirty politics and the consequent vulnerability of Rajjo costs Rajjo the seat. The plot unfolds after the first half; until when you keep finding and questioning yourself whether you have missed it. Sen showcases a different way of storytelling with fleeting scenes of the different characters of the film. But it doesn’t always work in his favour; just as you get to appreciate one scene, the other pops up, and you are left a bit puzzled.

                Sen does provide some reality check of such feminist groups of India, their inspirational way of dealing with their problems and particularly, their self sufficiency. The action sequences are decently choreographed. Gulab Gang is one of the very few films of India where the actress swings her weapon to see five guys fly away. Dixit is terrific in the action and makes it look real.

                What Sen does best here is, is the casting of his actors. The ladies of the gang are perfect for their parts. But it is obviously the two leads of the film that catch all the attention. Dixit’s character doesn’t always let her perform a lot, but being the actor she is, she manages to bring the expected command onscreen. Chawla gets the meatiest role of the cruelly feminist politician, and she makes the most of it.

                Gulab Gang is easily not the best you have seen. Yet, it is entertaining in parts with its dialoguebazi and some inspirational sequences.

I am going with a 2.5 out of 5 for Soumik Sen’s Gulab Gang. Watch it for its leading ladies; they are the only saving grace.

 

Highway

High on the way

               

                At one point in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway, the kidnapped Veera(Alia Bhatt) wonders about her stress-free state of mind, when all she should feel is scared. I asked myself a similar question, “Why am I interested in watching more of Highway, when all I should feel is BORED!” Imtiaiz Ali’s Highway is one of those very few films where the drowning script is saved by the occasional spurts of genuinely funny dialogues.

                Ali digresses away from his self-created genre of Imtiaz Ali romance, to show a rich brat get kidnapped by a thug and then fall in love with him. The premise gets you into a preconceived idea of what it is going to turn into, and at no point are you surprised, unlike most of Ali’s earlier films. It almost feels like Ali were interested in making a road-trip documentary and had to add some cushioning story to make it look like a film. Nonetheless, Ali’s consistent writing saves the day, and makes it a decent watch.

                Imtiaz Ali’s forever obsession with the north Indian landscapes pays him off well this time, with the landscape getting equal footage as the actors. From the evergreen punjab de khet, to the tall mountains of Himachal and silent desserts of Rajasthan, the scenery is well captured, in fact with the least complicated technicalities like extra lights etc. Editing is minimal. Ali’s brave attempt to maintain large silences succeeds largely due a no-nonsense style of camera and edit.

                Ali writes a simple, linear screenplay, and story as mentioned before doesn’t challenge the viewers’ curiosity. He tries hard to make Veera’s indulgence in her kidnapper look real, but hurries his characters to fall for each other. It is almost unconvincing to see a delhi high society girl to fall for her ruthless, rugged and abusive kidnapper within a week of her kidnapping. The story otherwise runs smoothly, with plenty of heartfelt moments, especially the one where Veera innocently speaks out her childhood mishaps to Mahavir(Randhip Hooda) or the one where Veera breaks into a western dance on a Hollywood number in the middle of the street. Imtiaz’s talent to keep the audience grooved in scenes like these gathers the crumbling pieces of the story to make it watchable. Music is almost another character in the film. Rahman gives another great album with Highway where songs easily become the soul of the film.

                Alia Bhatt is almost rediscovered in her very second film. From being victimized, vulnerable, vivacious to wildly aggressive, she gets to do it all in one film and she impresses in most of the parts. But it is Randeep Hooda in a challenging role of a dacoit/ kidnapper with a sharp Hariyanvi tongue, who gets it picture perfect and balances well with his co-star. 

 

Imitiaz Ali’s Highway is flawed; nonetheless it is something Bollywood doesn’t produce every day. I suggest you go catch this in the theatres for the brave effort, and you won’t be disappointed. I am going with a 3 out of 5.