I have to admit, this was the first Emraan Hashmi movie that I went to the theatre to see, or rather had the "courage" to go and see. Though his style of mush and "serial kissing" is not my idea of meaningful cinema, I wanted to understand what makes this guy so famous with the masses. Also, the prospect of seeing Shiney Ahuja after Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi lured me to the movie. And believe me, neither the movie nor the actors disappointed me.
Set in Seoul, the movie is about Simran (Kangana) who is an alcoholic. She is a friend of Akash (Emraan Hashmi), a singer in a bar, who disapproves of her drunken state and constant cravings for alcohol, but still dotes over her. Though they have known each other for a few months, Simran is still a mystery to Akash. After one of the numerous situations that Simran gets into in her drunken state, perched on Akash's picturesque but precarious terrace, she tells Akash about her reason for finding refuge in alcohol. She lived in Mumbai as a dance bargirl and fell in love with a gangster, Daya (Shiney Ahuja). Events and tragedy force them to flee India. Simran is left alone in Seoul while Daya is on various "assignments" around the world. Revealing the rest of the story would take away the thrill of this love-story. So, I would want to leave it here, for you all to go and watch it by yourself.
The more praise that can be given to Anurag Basu, the director of Gangster, the less it would be. The story is fast and griping, the direction is crisp and tight, and the treatment is excellent. Anurag Basu has shown that he is a class director, and the success of his first film, Murder, was not a fluke. Here is a film that relies on silence and subdued emotions rather than meaningless and blabbering dialogues, and the directors and actors have done a marvelous job pulling it off. Though there are a few lags (one in which an LG ad flashes in the climax is a really big distraction), the overall treatment of the movie is excellent. The climax of the movie is a great one, and is a fitting one for such a nice movie.
The debut actress, Kangana, has done a wonderful job in the movie. Normally, actors tend to go overboard when portraying a drunk, but she manages to play the hapless alcoholic with effortless ease and without the cliqued melodrama. Even without the bottle, she seems totally at home and carries the central character role better than expected. She is a beautiful and stylish woman (her dressing sense will be discussed by women for some time), and she sure has a bright future ahead. Shiney Ahuja is a pleasure to watch. His character does not have too many dialogues, but with Shiney, you don't need dialogues to convey the mood or thoughts of the character. From a silent hard-faced gangster to a loving husband-to a desperate man, he slips into each character with ease and style. I only wish he had more screen time, but maybe I am being biased. Which brings me to Emraan Hashmi. The guy has style and good acting skills, definitely better than some of the "star kids" running around. His screen presence is large and his simple looks lend him a kind of appeal which is attractive yet does not seem so distant from real life. His portrayal of Akash leaves no loose ends, and the "serial kisser" does not disappoint, with his fair share of kisses here too. All he needs is a good director and he will deliver more than his fans expect from him.
The movie review cannot be complete without a mention of the super soundtrack by music director, Pritam. The songs are superb and lend pace and character to the script. It is very rare that songs support a story, and Gangster excels in this field. The music is melodious and foot tapping, yet blends very well with the situations and acts as a great support for the movie.
My recommendation is that if you haven't watched it already, you should go right now. And if you have already seen it, what the heck, go in once more and enjoy the music and the characters.
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