Movie Review: Rangoon

Movie Review: ‘Rangoon’
Rating: 3/5
Director: Vishal Bhadwaj
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kangana Ranaut and Shahid Kapoor

Rangoon Movie Trailer

The much anticipated reteaming of Vishal Bhadwaj with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan with the fantastic charm of Kangana Ranaut in the epic period war romantic drama Rangoon is marbled with ambition and has brilliant individual moments.  It may be one of the most awaited films in recent times but Rangoon is a royal misfire.

The undeniably explosive idea had the potential of ‘desi’ CASABALANCA and writers Matthew Robbins (story and screenplay) with Sabrina Dhawan and Bhardwaj himself penning the script open this with the introduction of Jamadar Nawab Malik (Shahid Kapoor) in muddy fatigues. Its circa world war II era and serving for the British army, Nawab fighting bravely with the Subash Chandra Bose’s INA ( Indian National Army) is taken as a POW ( prisoner of war). Cut to the action queen Miss Julia (Kangana Ranaut) shooting her next probable blockbuster. Modeled on the famous Fearless Nadia of the 30’s, Julia is producer and former action star Rusi Billimoria (Saif Ali Khan) discovery. The rich Parsi has bought her for Rs 1000 from Mumbai’s Chowpatty . Voila!! All set and now the ‘search’ begins.

Rangoon appears to be reaching a point where it could be called a ‘love story in the backdrop of war.’  But it turns out to be a tug-of-war, between the Bhardwaj who made Maqbool and Omkara and the Bhardwaj who made Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola and Haider.  Two stage coordinators comment on everyone from Hitler to Churchill like Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah did in Maqbool. In another instance, the sound of a train engine transforms into a song like ‘Aao na’ from Haider.

The three protagonists – Kangana, Shahid and Saif deliver their best performances even in a plot that sometimes curbs them. Julia is a brave heroine, she fearless and not shameful of admitting that she’s a bastard. Even when a royalty tries to dig into Julia’s private life in a bid to embarrass her, she literally unleashes her nonchalance on the sneering ladies. There’s not one moment in the entire film that Kangana let’s her character Julia down. She is naive, sweet, vulnerable under her strong demeanour. She is a woman helplessly in love and not ashamed to admit it.

Shahid Kapoor aka Nawab Malik is a man on a mission and nothing can distract him, not even love. He gives in to his instincts of passion, but not even a damsel in distress, who he also loves, can take his eye off his real goal. Shahid plays an army captain/jamadar with ease and lends easily to his character. He’s rugged, mysterious and at the same time very very affectionate, he is the real hero of the movie with almost zero grey shades. The only flaw our tragic hero has is, his love for a woman who is already in a relationship with another man, who unfortunately is on the enemies side.

Russi Billimoria is the character that you end up hating and sympathising with at the same time. Unlike Nawab he’s not the righteous one. He’s filled with flaws, and Saif Ali Khan deserves full marks for making Russi a character with many many shades. He’s a shrewd businessman who can embrace the British for his personal gains. He controls Julia and will not let love take away the focus from his movies. And yet, he’s the one who will leave his father’s well established business to be with a woman he loves. He’s mean, control-freak, business-minded, jealous, insecure and human. And even in a limited canvas Saif shows that’s he’s an actor to watch out for.

The characters in Rangoon are equally good, be it the British commander Harding, played by Richard McCabe or then Julia’s makeup man Zulfi, played by Saharsh Shukla. Both these characters that seem harmless and funny in the beginning surprise you as the movie progresses. McCabe is super entertaining and almost manages to steal the show from Ms Julia on many occasions.

Vishal Bhardwaj does deserve a mention for bringing three actors who are strikingly different under one project and getting them to deliver their best. He also deserves applause for taking you to the era of freedom struggle. The Indian National Army version of Rabindranth Tagore will give you goosebumps. The war scenes and detailing are impeccable.

There are three things that could have made Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon near perfect. Unlike his earlier films the director detoxes the film of any kind of layers. The presentation is simple and straight and it’s great, except that at points you almost feel the lack of any kind of surprise making it too predictable. Even that could have been passed off, but what doesn’t work is the pace, some unnecessary songs that kill the narrative and a little more of Russi aka Saif Ali Khan in the film.