Aurangzeb

Just came back after seeing the film. For those of us, who prefer the Khans' stereo-typed mannerisms, or the wackiness of Ranbir, or the antics of has-beens like the Deols, this film may be boring. But I was looking for something new, something novel, something out-of-the box and something with fresh faces. Aurangzeb qualifies on all counts. The action is non-stop, the dialogs are crisp, there are no annoying song-dance sequences and no romantic or comic interludes. Of course Rishi excels, but he is a veteran. The credit goes to new comer Arjun Kapoor in a double role. He is the son of Boney Kapoor from his first marriage to Mona Kapoor, and an admirably good actor, in contrast to many star sons. Arjun, together with Prithviraj Sukumaran, from Kerala, carry the entire film on their shoulders. This film has many shades of gray. The baddies have good qualities and the do-gooders have their criminal intentions. The twists and turns keep one engrossed in the movie. Full marks to the Writer and Director, Atul Sabharwal!! Go for it, folks!!

watched AURANGZEB ...intelligent plot filled with good Thriller n Drama within digestible ratio of Action...this flick gives the feel that Bollywood is really growing up(after 100yrs!)...its cast embedded well with the script n with their up to the mark acting n fare share of screen time...story is close to the reality of today's police n corporate world with a little exaggeration(does't look fake)of the events you/we see in the TV news nowadays...I won't ruin the thrill(of it) by telling its plot...all you should know is its a complete sensible entertainment(how it should always be) & thus its a _MUST WATCH

"Kingship knows no kinship"- This ideology of Mughal king Aurangzeb defines the theme of YRF's latest 'Aurangzeb' (AZ). A directorial debut from Atul Sabharwal (writer of films like 'Phir Milenge'), Aurangzeb is a typical Indian masala entertainer from Manmohan Desai school. It is sprinkled with all sorts of spices viz. action, crime, drama and beau-coup DE skin-show. Not delving much into details of storyline et al, here are the highlights of the movie:

• Performances: Stellar work from most of the veterans and new-age stars is the biggest hallmark of AZ. If you think this is an Arjun Kapoor movie, you are mistaken. Despite a double-role (as evident from trailers), it is actually Prithviraj Sukumaaran (Malayalam actor of Aiyya fame) and Rishi Kapoor who steal the show through their out-of-the-skin portrayals of characters. Prithviraj is so accurate in his accent and mannerisms, it's hard to digest that he's a Southern import. Rishi Kapoor is a chameleonic surprise with every scene! Arjun too is good in both the roles. His toothy smile, give-a-damn attitude and rugged look is a carry forward from Ishaqzaade. Debutante Sasha Agha (daughter of Pak singer-actress Salma Agha) is pure glam doll (acting comments – not applicable). Could not help to mention her striking resemblance to Amrita Puri. Amrita Singh is in her normal shrewd avatar while Jackie Shroff is endearing in the limited role assigned. Nice to see the couple reunited after the 90's hit Aaina! Tanvi Azmi does a Nirupa Roy while Deepti Naval and Anupam Kher play a cameo.

• Plot & execution: Set in the real-estate mafia gullies of Gur-gaon (city), the film takes you through the lives of a real-estate king, judwa brothers, good & bad police officers, lots of blood-shed and gives a glimpse of what cooks behind the shining express-ways in our country. The narrative is adept and implementation smart. While the first half sets the stage, the second half is about execution and pace. Dilemmas (choice between sapne and apne) of the main protagonist have been well captured while shrewd ambitions of the 'actual' Aurangzeb are awesomely enacted.

• Music: Even with less songs in the movie, Vipin Mishra and Amartya Rahut are ordinary. Barring the pacy Barbaadiyan, no other song leaves impact. However, background score is good.

• Flaws: Despite the high-voltage drama, AZ does have its share of flaws and bloopers. The movie could have been a little less complex and dialogs a little less-filmy.

In all, Aurangzeb is a crisp, pacy action drama Bollywood got to see after long time. Dunno why YRF did not promote the film much! To know 'Who is real Aurangzeb in the movie?', watch it, and watch it till the end! You won't be disappointed.

In one of the scenes in AURANGZEB, Rishi Kapoor explains Prithvi that , "Baadshahi Bhaichaara nahin dekhti " which essentially translates as "Kingship sees no Kinship" - the famous dictum of the ruthless Mughal emperor.There is a forced attempt in debutant director Atul Sabharwal's modern action-crime thriller to draw references to the Mughal traitor.Set in present-day concrete jungle of Gurgaon, it is about how an illegal business is run in the garb of a real estate consultancy.

Yashvardhan Singh(Jackie Shroff) plays the real-estate gangster businessman who runs his illegal empire through a shrewd lady,Nina(Amrita Singh)and Ajay(Arjun Kapoor) is his son. A police team led by DCP Ravikanth(Rishi Kapoor) and his nephew,Arya(Prithviraj) want to break their stranglehold and send Ajay's lookalike Vishal to infiltrate their gang and be their informer.Now there is a hitch! Vishal undergoes a change of heart and takes his father's side and this jeopardizes the efforts of the DCP who has surreptitiously hatched a sinister scheme.

What's interesting to note here is that none of the characters is innocent,each one has grey shades and is flawed and Atul pulls it off with impeccable dexterity. There is a deadly intertwine of drama and emotions in this convoluted plot and he unveils treacheries at each stage without rendering any predictability. The first half is racy and pulsating where each of the character's establishment adds to the intrigue quotient. However, the film suffers from the curse of the second half.The portions become over-stretched, slickness fades and there are a lot of loose threads which the director finds difficult to tie efficiently. Dialogues are razor-sharp and the editing is sharp. Cinematography judiciously depicts the rampant industrialization of the Delhi-NCR region. Music is mediocre , barring the club-song Barbadiyaan laced with techno-waves.

Aurangzeb boasts of an ensemble starcast and we get to see the veterans of Bollywood come under the same umbrella after a long time.Kudos to the director for performing such an arduous task in etching out all the characters with equal flourish.At the top of the pyramid is Rishi Kapoor playing the unflinching self-serving cop who enthralls the audience with a controlled act.The central character of the premise, Arjun Kapoor appears partly like the rebellious and wayward reckless brute Parma of Ishaqzaade and partly like the introvert Vishal and he does it efficiently. Prithviraj is intense and he superbly portrays the battle with his inner demons while the narrative progresses sluggishly. Deepti Naval , in a short role as DCP's wife makes a strong impact and her character is a sharp contrast to Tanvi Azmi's in depicting how humanity can be put to shame in the greedy pursuit of wealth and power.New comer Sashey Agha is bold and beautiful but her role is reduced to just being a mole in this male-dominated saga.While Jackie Shroff appears suave,his grey beard notwithstanding , Sikander Kher and Swara Bhaskar are under- utilized. Amrita Singh is first rate and she adds a mean edge to her character.

With an appealing premise reflecting the gritty reality of the land dealings and the nexus of the corrupt politicians , bureaucrats and dishonest cops, this commercial potboiler has indeed good prospects at the box office.i go with 3.5/5 for Aurangzeb.

I am enthralled by Prithviraj's performance. Having watched almost all his Malayalam movies & the recent Aiyyaa, I can now say that his Bollywood future looks shimmering.

Aurangzeb succeeds in capturing viewer's interest in less than ten minutes and then the bandwagon of twists, turns, identity revelations is enterprisingly mind-numbing, provided you don't compare it with the Hollywood. +1 for the guts to introduce double-roll for Arjun Kapoor who acts fine. Supporting cast is great, indeed.

Music has been largely copied from Hollywood, with inputs from Hans Zimmer's Inception OST. Screenplay confuses a bit, but is good enough. Atul Sabharwal is very expert in handling the camera and executing a gripping thriller which has elements from corruption to relationships, betrayal to politics. Wonderful!

The goofs and plot holes are tiny and passable mostly because the 130 minutes of running time never bores you, except when the insipid romance & flesh is showcased.

BOTTOM LINE: A great thriller worth having a look; great comeback for Prithivraj. 6.7/10.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? 95% YES

Profanity: Mild | Sex: Strong | Nudity: Critical | Mouth-Kiss/Foreplay: Mediocre | Violence: Very Critical | Gore: Strong | Smoking: Mild | Alcohol: Strong | Drugs: Mild (No Visuals)