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For the entire first half, I was absorbed by the streets of Malegaon and the story of the boys who wanted to tell a story for their crowd, their people. And yet it was a microcosm of the larger world, especially the Hindi film world—where the makers decide what the consumer wants and shoves only that down their senses, Friday after Friday. While the film gets stuck in the middle for a bit—much like its characters—you are in for an ace of a finale. What fine writing!
Yet, and thankfully so, that is not what will stay with us. The cast carries the slump well, too.
And it’s not just that; this is an example of some remarkable film-making. Like the other film I watched today, Crazxy, this one too sets the tone just right in the first five minutes. Two films in a day! What are the chances of that, right?
And this one has your heart beating for its three protagonists, despite their flaws. The characters unravel with the story, without much time spent on separate character exposition. The film is filled with moments of camaraderie and strife in their inter-relationships. You find out about the characters as you observe these interactions, making the film flow so well.
Why-o-why, then, did we need the jumps in the timeline? Surely, people capable of such smooth writing could have connected without the jerky non-transitions. It didn’t help that the middle of the three sections that the film was chopped into went into a slump in terms of the vibe the first part created and the zest that the last part was to bring.
Yet, and thankfully so, that is not what will stay with us. The cast carries the slump well, too. They all seem comfortable as if this is their habitat, including the three women with less screen time but disproportionate impact. Not a single actor can be singled out to be better than the rest of the cast. Except for the few times they perform so well that you remember their off-screen name and/or go, “Where have I seen this guy before?”
Anyway, nothing to make you grab your phone to look it up. Yet, adding to the meta milieu maintained throughout the film is the awesome feeling that this is based on real life. So, this warmth exists in the real world.
– meeta, a part of the audience
