Vishal Bhardwaj films have a distinctive flavour when it comes to romance, loyalty and patriotism. After adapting some of the smartest works of Shakespeare into acclaimed Bollywood films, the auteur is back with a war-time period romance Rangoon. Set in the times of second world war, when British were losing their grip in India and Japan was eyeing an opportunity collaborating with INA, Rangoon is a love story filled with tantrums, vulnerabilities and liberation.
The story is of Julia (Kangana Ranaut) who is hopelessly in love with her married producer Rusi (Saif Ali Khan). Rusi is possessive about her so much that he calls Julia his creation and can go to any limits to claim his 'property'. After much persuasion, Julia is sent to Burma to motivate and 'entertain' Queen's Army where she falls in love with Jamadar Nawab Malik. Now opens a horizon of deception, lies, innocence, liberation and self-discovery.
Kangana Ranaut brings a dimension of emotions and expressions with her. She is the star of the film. Filling the plot holes and covering the glitches, Rangoon belongs to Ranaut and her natural act of a confused lover. Shahid Kapoor is brilliant as Jamadar Nawab Malik, a man with a mission. He is restrained, strict and stern but the moment Julia is in front of him he risks everything. He is a passionate lover and sees every flaw of Julia as her strength. Saif Ali Khan, unfortunately, has nothing much to offer in comparison to the other two actors. While Saif gave his career's best performance as Langda Tyagi in Bhardwaj's Omkara, Rangoon fails to embrace the actor in him. Though his character had a lot of layers and potential, Saif is fairly average as a rich, jilted lover. Also Read: Rangoon Tweet Review| Kangana Ranaut Shines in This War-Time Romance
Now talking about the flaws, the film's length makes it a little tedious for any Non- Bhardwaj fan. Crisp editing would have easily cut 20 mins of the film. The VFX used by the makers is also cringe-worthy and spoil the effect of the climax.
Overall, Rangoon is not Vishal Bhardwaj's most glorious of works but it has its own strengths. It is one of his most simple yet engaging stories that show you many colors and layers without actually deviating from the main plot. Rangoon deserves a watch for its smart sub-plot, Kangana-Shahid's titillating chemistry and of course, Kangana Ranaut's vulnerability as a popular actress turned liberated lover Julia.Ratings:3.5/5
Comments
0 comment