Rangoon

A great movie by Vishal Bhardwaj again. Seem to be a bit slow in the end but boils down later on. The story is spell bounding. Acting is awesome by all actors. Kudos to Vishal Bhardwaj. Simply awesome ! This movie will entertains you to the hilt and touches you in a manner that isn't as simple to decipher and understand as it seems to be. And why it should be? After all, it's a Vishal Bharadwaj movie.

The movie is good if you forgive the cliché ending. The performances of Kangana Ranaut and Saif Ali Khan is mind-blowing. Kangana Ranaut steals the show. Indeed, she is the 'Hero' of the movie. The cinematography is good. The film shows the INA version of anthem which is worth mentioning. Except for the climax, the movie is worth watching.

Vishal Bhardwaj is back after Haider(2014) with a love triangle set in the era of world war 2. He was saying in promotion that this is his first love story while most of his work before this was containing love story as a backdrop. I was amazed to here this. But after seeing the trailer, I made up my mind that this film is gonna be a Love Story. I was waiting for 24th February since November. You can not believe me but it's true that it was really hard for me to sleep last night. As I'm a huge Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor fan. The curiosity level was damn high. So I went to watch 9 am show.

Movie starts with a tiny but very well captured war sequence. Then moves towards the film industry situated in Bombay. Rustam is a film producer, as well as lover of his heroine Julia. He has been approached by British Officer to arrange a special show of Julia and her band for Indian soldiers working for Britishers. For the purpose of security of Miss Julia, Britishers have arranged Nawab Malik. Journey starts from Bombay to Rangoon in train, but because of a tragedy, Julia and Nawab Malik get closer to each other. Their love makes the way to end or not is the question. Other questions are also there (like some kind of suspense) which we will get to know in post interval part.

If I talk about story, then till interval I was enjoying a good stuff by Vishal. At the moment of interval, Alvida song was playing, and I was just into that. I just loved it! Post interval there are moments, but Julia and her train sequence was the best part. Ending could have been more justified or you can say more detailed. It was cleared but not so much effective. The visuals could have been better I guess. If this is your dream project, than you don't let it go anyway like this. I know i am revealing much, but, I felt it so.

Okay, now only positive talk! Direction and camera-work were as usual like we had seen in Haider. But the Kashmir and its snow were missing. Arunachal was good, but not my cup of tea. Dialogues were good. Shahid and Kangna's dialogues were lovey. Officer's dialogues were the biggest plus point, as they were witty as well as very well spoke. Some Ghalib's couplets from his mouth was a funny thing to see!

Saif Ali Khan delivers an easy performance. He is the perfect choice for Rustam. Kangna is good, but I don't like her in Dancing moves. Supporting cast is superb. All actors and supporters are fine enough. Ye Ishq Hai, Miyan Gaye England, Bloody Hell, Alvida- all are fantastic. Gulzar Saa'b's lyrics are too good. I like Jan Gan Man by Bhardwaj. It gave me goose bumps.

Kissing scenes are best! No one can imagine how to capture a kiss like Vishal has done. I think he is more romantic than serious deep inside his heart. I guess that's why he can compose such a romantic numbers with a great melody.

If you compare this film film with his last film Haider, than for me, it is not that good. Haider was the best film of that year. This is good film, can be there in nominees, but I doubt of its winning. It has many things missing. But for me, many positive vibes the film has been offering since beginning, the climax ruined all. I'm not opposing the script, but I don't like the visuals.

On the whole, Rangoon is a dream project of Vishal. So his fans out there, please go and watch it. Make this film his biggest hit at box office. He is one of the creative and intelligent directors of India. You have to give him what he deserves. This film belongs to him. And this film without its STAR could never been possible. Yes, Nawab Malik aka Shahid Kapoor is at his best. After Haider, Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab and now this film, he is on role! I hope this film gets him another award. He is going higher and higher. No one can give competition to him now as his cinema and his acting skills, both are extremely high. Kudos to Mr. Kapoor.

For Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor, with Love and Respect 8/10.

If I am going to watch a 'first day first show' of Rangoon, there is no need to say that I am a big Vishaal Bhardwaj fan. I started waiting for the release date since I came to know that 'Rangoon' was being directed by Mr. Bhardwaj. From very first scene to 5 minutes before the end, film is so good that you really have to appreciate the story, direction, music, acting and all. But if you talk about climax, it is so disappointing that you can't believe it is the same film. I mean, how would you feel if after having a perfect cup of Coffee in the evening, you are suddenly forced to taste the 'plum sauce'? Or, while watching a whole 'Bhardwaj' movie, you are forced to watch the climax of a typical 'David Dhawan' or 'Anees Bazmee' film? It doesn't mean that I don't like the movies of these two film directors, or I don't like 'plum sauce' at all. But is there any combination? I mean, seriously? Besides the disappointing ending, overall it is one of the best Vishaal Bhardwaj movies. It makes you feel as good as watching 'Omkara', 'Ishqiya' or 'Haider'. Cast is good. Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor are great in their roles. Kangana is the pure 'soul' of the film. She has acted really good and has looked really pretty in the film. Music is fine. Dance performances, war scenes are also great. But, if you don't want to feel as bad as I am, it is recommended to leave the hall 5 minutes prior to the ending.

Rangoon is set in 1943, when the British colonials in India were fighting the advancing Japanese and Netaji Bose's Azad Hind Army on the country's north east along the Myanmar border and a resurgent freedom struggle under Mahatma across the country. On this wide and raging canvas, Vishal Baradwaj crafts a love triangle involving a clutch of plucky characters. Rusi (Saif Ali Khan) a Parsi aristocrat and an erstwhile action hero whose career was cut short by an accident where he loses a hand and becomes a movie producer. Nawab Mallik (Shahid Kapoor) is jamadar in the British Indian army. And, then there is Miss Julia (Kangana Ranaut), a daredevil movie star who complements the incomplete lives of both these men.

Kangana is fabulous as the pioneering action star of her times and is able to ace a role which is physically as well as emotionally demanding. She owns this part and explores its innocence, action, romance, confusions, arrogance, vulnerability as well obsession with aplomb. Shahid is excellent as the sincere jamadar Nawab Mallik who is torn between his mission and his love for Miss Julia. Saif is a natural as a bruised aristocrat who is driven to desperation to salvage his life and love slipping away. Of the competent supporting cast, the notable performances are from Saharsh Shukla as Zulfi, Miss Julia's make-up man and confidante and Richard McCabe as the British General Harding with a taste for Urdu poetry.

After completing his spectacular trilogy of Shakespearean tragedies with Maqbool, Omkara and Haider, in Rangoon, Vishal Bharadwaj presents an ambitious period drama set against the second world war and packs in a potent mixture of love, action, jealousy, deceit and more through lush visuals of Pankaj Kumar.

Vishal Bhardwaj also excels as the music director as he delivers a background score that accentuates the moods of the movie even as continues his fruitful collaboration with Gulzar and the duo have come up with some wonderful songs.

Rangoon, thus, presents quite a heady cocktail of fine performances, several stand-out sequences such as the conversation between Kangana and a captured Japanese soldier, both glib in their own languages, trademark humour, some great dialogues, superb songs and captivating cinematography. Yet, one feels that there is something amiss which stops it short of being a masterpiece that it seeks to be. The romance does not exactly set the screen afire, the narrative fabric couldn't consistently weave together the multiple strands, the length could have been a tad trimmer or perhaps, the finale could have been much more nuanced.