Raja Natwarlal

RAJA NATWARLAL: "A movie that had good potential fails to make a solid impression!" [2.5/5]

Emraan Hashmi returns to the BIG screen after last year's GHANCHAKKAR. Before I begin reviewing I must say that he likes signing in for the movies that are promising and has potential to deliver something new and different.This one too is & it's worth appreciating. But the problem lies in how the movie is handled.

Anyways, the story is about Raja, who is a small time conman who gets his partner killed in an attempt to break into the big league. Then to avenge this death he seeks out a bigger retired conman to help him. Together they hatch a plan to steal the rich guy's money so that Raja can marry his bar dancer sweetheart and avenge the death in one swoop.

The story at its core is OK and the little clever touches of con games are funny and entertaining at times. However, neither the characters nor their motivations are strong enough for us to root for either the conman or the rich cricket crazy dude getting conned. You are indifferent to their fates and that is totally dangerous in a movie which depends on your liking the con guy to make the story work. To make matters worse there is the romantic angle which just doesn't work and which pulls the narrative down in its best parts with some soppy songs and unnecessary kisses.

The star cast is great- Emraan as Raja, Paresh Rawal as the master con and Kay Kay Menon as the rich guy are all great actors and their chemistry makes the movie extremely watchable in parts. They manage to create a good feeling of tension in a few crucial scenes. New actress , Pakistani import Humaima Malik is too thin to register on screen and the only way you can tell she is there is when there is some spangly costume floating about on the screen. I was nice to see Deepak Tijori again on screen looking older and better without his old funny hairstyle.

Raja Natwarlal could have been infinitely smarter, funnier and way more taut given the story it was working with and the star cast. Instead what we get is patchy pieces of good action, silly songs and a storytelling session as we are tucked into bed(meant for some excessive runtime) Anyhow, watchable it is. [2.5/5]

Emraan Hashmi came back to commercial 'MASAALA' film after almost one and half year, And yes he's back with his charming on screen presence.

Now come to the REVIEW...

Yes this is a nice film with a new kind of story line (At least it's not a remake of south movie] Emraan did a great job as usual (Actually he really improved his acting skills). Deepak Tijori was in a small but effective role. Not many scenes given to Humaima to show her talent but yeah she is good. But apart from Emraan I did really like Paresh Rawal's character he was extremely good as a con master.

The film was not as great as I expected. The Jodi of Paresh & Emraan as 'Guru & Chela' was worth a watch. Story was not that great a little bit less engaging some times (1st half was really not that engaging but the 2nd half where it catches the suspense) The climax was the highlight of the film. The ending twist was superb.

Overall It's a nice film with enjoyable moments (Songs were really nice especially 'Tere Hoke Rehenge' 'Namak Paare' 'Kabhi Ruhani Kabhi Rumani'). And if you are a Emraan Hashmi fan then you must watch it.

You will not be disappointed at all.

I watched the trailer and knew that the movie will have something new to offer. The main Lead "Emraan Hashmi" has given another good performance after 'shanghai' beyond his portrayed and perceived image by Mahesh Bhatt's movie. The name itself is catchy and makes audience curious to watch the movie. The plot has its ups and down, Deepak Tojori was seen on the big screen after a long time and then you get to see KK Menon and Paresh Rawal. The Actress 'Humaima' fits the need of the character and do justice to her debut film. This is one movie with no misfits. Everything gels well in the script from starting playful, fun times to the feeling of revenge, simple strategy and execution. The movie also leaves a scope of a sequel , that would be tricky business. The sequel, if comes would be expected to deliver high hopes of the audience. Appreciation for all the directors, as the simple concept was taken to extra-ordinary level. Kudos !

Raja Natwarlal is unmitigatedly acceptable. The film serves as one of the better con films compared to other bollywood projects belonging to the same genre in recent times. The story expounds the life of a small-time con artist who after confronting unexpected circumstances sets out on a mission to avenge the death of his closest ally.

The first half of the film is quotidian, just like any other heist film. It is the second half where the plot actually gets intriguing and engaging. The film doesn't seem to tire its viewers as it possesses a tolerable run time of 140 minutes. Besides this, an amazingly drawn out conclusion similar to that of Christopher Nolan's 'The Prestige' fills you with absolute contentment.

The casting department is worthy of admiration for gathering such a group of commendable performers. Emraan Hashmi, once again in a similar lead role, is rapturous. Humaima Malik's enticing good looks poised with conventional acting skills unquestionably make an impression. Paresh Rawal is brilliant while playing Emraan's mentor in the film. Kay Kay Menon, while playing the major negative role is elegant. Deepak Tijori in a short but crucial supporting role is garden-variety.

Film's direction is laudable indeed. Kunal Deshmukh has definitely managed to be conspicuous especially towards the end. Screenplay by Parveez Sheikh is neat. Dialogues by Sanjay Masoom are witty. Cinematography and Editing departments have undeniably managed to make a hit. Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja is fresh and alluring.

Summing everything up, the movie is decent. Neither the best nor the worst. However, it is way better than all those masala flicks which get undeserving responses from the audiences. Emraan Hashmi buffs will definitely embrace this one.

Con movies are rare in bollywood,good con movies are even rarer.It is a genre that is not attempted much in bollywood.The ones we had were disastrous ones like Cash,Tees Maar Khan etc.The only good ones I remember are Badmaash Company and Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl. So Raja Natwarlal comes as a pleasant surprise.

It goes without saying that there are plot holes and the songs could have been avoided but the director has kept the pace of the movie interesting and the climax is well directed and something you wouldn't expect. Emraan Hashmi and Paresh Rawal are superb and look every bit convincing as the endearing con-men. Kay Kay Menon's character is caricaturish but he makes good use of it. Watch out for him in the final scene. Humaima Malick needs to look good and she does that. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayub is good in his cameo.

Well I wouldn't call Raja Natwarlal the best film of the year,but it is certainly amongst the most entertaining ones.It is way better the trashy south remakes we get every week in the name of entertainment.