O Lutador

Anurag Kashyap is redefining himself. I didn't like his last two films Bombay Velvet and Raman Raghav 2.0. But I like this one. I was amazed to see the whole story which was shown to us in trailer was there in first half itself. I got excited to think what the film will tell in the second half. First half was full of love, songs, romance, fight, and happy ending. Second half contains the issues in Government sectors, offices, sports and above all Uttar Pradesh. I wish Ravi Kishan's character had been written more. He suits in his perfectly. Debutant actress Zoya delivers superb expressions. Jimmy Shergil is as usual outstanding. Vineet Kumar Singh is terrific. He is now become star. Everyone knows that he can act superbly. But after this film, everyone would know that he can hold the entire film too. Songs are superb. Mushkil Hai Mel, Pantra, Bahut Dukha hai - Every song has its own charisma. Overall, a very good start of this year with this film. Kashyap, take a bow!

This insightful and true story reveals what is both beautiful and ugly in India and sheds light on what keeps the second most populous country in the world at the bottom of the Olympics. It is also the story of a young couple in love who struggle to live on their own terms in an arena that is far less forgiving than a boxing ring.

Defeating other boxers is the easy part for Shravan. He is tough, well-trained and smart. Troubles really begin when Shravan falls for Sunaina. In the process he picks a fight with her uncle Bhagwan, also Shravan's coach. Next to Bhagwan, Rocky's coach Mickey looks like Miss Kitty. Bhagwan relentlessly punishes and humiliates Shravan with severe beatings, false charges, imprisonment, disqualifications by corrupt officials and more. When he cannot shake Shravan, Bhagwan goes after his support network; torture, kidnapping, rape and robbery. He throws his own brother on the street and breaks his knees. Bhagwan claims to be the victim. "When a boxer is knocked out," he says "it is the coach that bleeds." Shravan tries to turn his anger into positive energy, and funnel it into his boxing gloves and his love for Sunaina.

"Boxing is not a world of glamor like it is in West," said director Kashyap after the film's world premiere in Toronto. This film shows why this is sadly the case. It also provides a balanced snapshot of contemporary India with its amazing colors, song, dances and light, as well as its haze, corruption, crime and debilitating caste system. Actor Vineet Kumar Singh took a year off to train for his role as Shravan, and such thorough preparation is evident in his tremendous performance. The story is too long and disjointed in places, yet all together it is a fantastic, enthralling and dramatic portrait of the hypocrisy and corruption, as well as the beauty and color, in India. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Vineet Kumar Singh. This name is going to stay forever with you after you done watching Mukkabaaz. With small screen time roles in Anurag Kashyap's Wasseypur Series,Ugly and short film Murabba(part of Bombay Talkies) and Mahesh Manjrekar's Lalbaug Parel, he is not new to the cinema world.

But for the first time he gets to play the lead and he does it with an impeccable performance and what we call Method Acting. With almost 3 years of training , we can see it easily in the movie that he has not only performed but lived it. Very well supported by Jimmy Shergill and Ravi Kishen.Zoya as Vineet's love life does full justice to the role in her debut.

Coming to the direction part , we don't have the chance to find any flaws as the pace even little slow is kept very interesting and moving with a mixture of both commercial and art feel.Editing needs a special mention here.

All in all its a well made movie.

As the experts say "Form is temporary, class is permanent". And Anurag Kashyap has come roaring back to form with 'Mukkabaaz'. Although one can argue that he never was out of form except for 'Bombay Velvet'.

In this do-or-die movie, as stated by Anurag Kashyap himself he shows his true class. The dark narrative, brutish characters are all present in this film. The protagonist Shravan Kumar(Vineet Kumar Singh) is an aspiring boxer from Bareilly who trains under a retired boxer and present state minister Bhagwan Das Mishra(Jimmy Shergill) and falls in love with his mute niece Sunanina(Zoya Hussain). But Bhagwan, a Brahmin treats his boxers more like his laundry boys. This irritates Shravan and the two have an early faceoff.

But Bhagwan is the real Godfather of Bareilly who can clutch anyone he wants under his feet and all he wants is to never let Shravan take part in any Boxing competition ever. This is where Kashyap is a treat to watch. He gives you these Scorsese-Tarantinesque characters who can you flinch with their terror and Bhagwan is exactly the same no-nonsense kind. He has no emotional vulnerability, no principles and will use his whole power to do anything he wants "Kyunki wo Brahman hain,wo aadesh dete hain" and its your duty to oblige.

On the other hand there is Shravan, determined to achieve both his passion and his love. He is ready to fight every situation but is desperately running out of time. Finally he meets Sanjay Kumar(Ravi Kishan) is a Boxing tournament who immediately takes him under his wing. He starts to train Shravan for the State-level Championship, the only way for him to marry Sunanina.

It is only Kashyap's excellence which even makes a love story this dark. You can sense the tension building in the second half but even then its impossible to predict the brutality in the second phase. Its noticeable that the whole focus of the movie is on Boxing and not the romance. Boxing is central to the film thus touching the plight of the sport in the state and country as you hear "Boxing pe picture banti hai to 40 crore kamati hai, par boxing tournament hota hai to chaalis log bhi dekhne nahi aate". The federation is being run by goons turning and twisting the sport according to their own benefits.

Zoya Hussain is a fresh surprise in her debut role. She manages to express the anger of Sunanina beautifully with her eyes without speaking a single work. Ravi Kishan does not have much screen time but is a delight to watch throughout. Its baffling to see how such a talented actor has been underutilized in the hindi film industry. Jimmy Shergill another stereotypes underestimated actor has nothing new which he hasn't done in the past. He plays the same corrupt minister who turns the system as per his own wishes. But he presents himself with such brutality you can literally feel the anger brewing inside you against this man. Though it is Vineet Singh Sharma who captures the screen in his first central role. One of Anurag Kashyap's trusted Banner-men, Vineet is ferocious, flamboyant and flawless at the same time. He makes you feel for Shravan without showing weakness in a single frame.

And what to say about Anurag Kashyap himself. He has made the actors act with their eyes rather than their words. This is where he is at his best. Where he tells the story of an underdog fighting against the system. The dark reality of the small towns where the God-men run the system without any intrusion. He has hit the right straps with 'Mukkabaaz' and we owe it to him for giving such peerless start to the new year. 'Mukkabaaz' sets the benchmark for this year's cinema. Go watch it now you can see the 'Tigers' in Corbett.

Anurag kashyap did it again and started this new year with blast with all round performance in terms of Direction, acting , screenplay but real surprise was music and dialog

Songs was too different and according to situation along with the background score. what Anurag kashyap tried to do give time audience to connect with character and as story progress character grows and you can see different shades of them and you can actually feel their pain, helplessness , anger and their happiness

vineet singh is reallly deserve huge round og appluse for giving outstanding performance not only for acting also for co-screenply writing. Zoya Hussain and vineet singh onscreen chemistry really good and you can actully feel their love on screen

As usual Jimmy shergill and Ravi kishan provided the strenght need for the flim with their acting. overall this movie is really good and all credit goes to anurag kashyap making such a solid movie..