Saturday, June 22, 2013

Raanjhanaa - Quick review

The first half is riddled with clichés, but is watchable if you are a fan of romantic flicks. In fact there is a point just before the interval where it looks like everything has worked out well, the movie can end here. But then there comes a twist which leads to a convoluted second half that is just pure torture. Pivotal characters are conveniently disposed off in abrupt ways, forcing the viewer to switch loyalties back and forth. In fact, each of the four main characters have so many shades of grey, that it fails to make you root for any of them. By the time the end arrives, you are yourself unsure who should end up together. That conundrum is again overcome by a rather convenient ending.

Dhanush is brilliant in his emotional expressions, but dilutes some really great lines due to his accent. A character speaking such profound lines with a heavy Tamil accent comes across as very artificial. Sonam Kapoor fares better than expected. Abhay Deol is charming, but gets limited scope. Swara Bhaskar gives a strong performance, that actually has you rooting for her character. Actor Zeeshan Ayub, as the hero's sidekick is hilarious, and provides for most of the laughter.

Thunbs up to the dialogue writer, he comes up with lines that are profound and witty. Beyond that, the movie just disappoints on multiple levels.