Movie Review

Rating :

Verdict : Dil tod diya! just a one time watch.

Jo hum ne kahi rule wahi din tana na na. Well bharat mata ki jai. Seriously, we have number of characters’ in India very rightly portrayed in the movie. Well promoted, stuck in controversies, publicised gossips and criticised hips and drops, Shanghai saw it all much before its release. Let’s see how magical it turned when it hit the box office.

Not a new script_ heard it before a couple of times, that’s what you feel when you hit the theatres. Well what makes Shanghai a decent one is Dibakar Banerjees offbeat take on the subject and impeccable understanding of the milieu. It traces the footprints of the Novel “Z” which was later a movie in French with the same name.  The only part by which the film stands out is Dibakar’s sensibility of executing the things and actors performance. Does the story have something more to offer let’s find out.  

Socialist professor and activist Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) is opposing an upcoming infrastructure project in Bharat Nagar that is backed by the ruling political party. While going against the system he picks up a rally to awaken the public. While a short predictable twist in the story rolls in. A fast moving van hits Ahmedi killing him on the spot. While the police pass off the episode as a drunken accident open and shut case, Ahmedis adherent Shalini (Kalki Koechlin) knows it was a premeditated murder. A high ranking bureaucrat Krishnan (Abhay Deol) is appointed to investigate the case. And a local videographer Jogi (Emraan Hashmi) claims to have evidence on the mishap. While a heaps of problems roll in to get the accused behind the bars and how do the three protagonist;  Shalini, Jogi and Krishnan deal with it is the rest part of the story.

Without leaving any space the people already knew the killer from the start. There was neither suspense nor murder mystery angle. Right from the opening scene the film is predictable. Three protagonists trying to fight against the system in their own possible ways, is something the whole movie is about. . Beyond the predictability, Dibakar does try to perk up the staid climax where Krishnan shrewdly arm-twists a politician (Farooq Sheikh) which results into falling of the government. And despite the potential for a melodramatic and mass-appealing confrontation, the director keeps this face-off subtle and skilful.

Dibakar definitely adapts to the grammar of the bureaucratic background that strengthens the political drama. The synchronization is perfect. Emraan Hashmis untamed street dance - every scene in the dirty narrative is just picture perfect. The movie is thought full and places where the direction could go wrong have been taken good care off. Well there is no doubt about Dibakar’s efficiency.

Performance wise, Emraan plays typical Bhatt-camp lover-boy character. His mannerisms, attitude to wild dance - theres a new Emraan we discovered in Shanghai. Kalki shows the right measure of proportionate acting. She did not over do. Her character is a different angle to be watched in the film. Abhay Deol, as the South Indian character doesn’t fall in the prey of south Indian accent. He is just stays quite cool in the entire movie. Caught between corruption and duty his thought process is a must watch in the film. He portrays quite decent and slips into the skin of the character. The lead protagonist on whom the entire story revolves is seen in a short and sweet cameo. Bengali lead actor Prosenjit makes his debut in Bollywood with shanghai. A well tried and good lead to start with Prosenjit proves himself as the best chosen one. But he was short lived. People may be sad to see that, he was hardly there in the movie.

Shanghai tracks are slow and sad tuning note. Bharat mata ki jai is the only lively sound track. "Imported Kamariya” by vishal shekhar sung by Richa Sharma is an item song which is not upto the mark but ok ok types. Morcha is another off beat track that breaths a life to the story. Over all the soundtracks works for the movie.

My verdict

Shanghai is a predictable off beat film. The movie is well synchronised on the story part. But, as the movie is predictable and goes off the track often it’s difficult to find any interest. More over the film describes all the other characters in detail leaving behind the lead. As it’s not so happening it stands average in my eye.