"Laal Rang" film review - Randeep 'runs deep' to produce a character that's quite an institution for actors...
Every decade, there is this one movie that stands out where you may truly enjoy the character more than even the story! To me, that character was Lucky, from Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, in the last decade. This decade, it could be Shankar from Laal Rang (Red Colour, signifying Blood). It is refreshing to see an actor and not a star... 'Khan' they learn something here!? I've always been a great fan of Hooda's acting; be it in Monsoon Wedding, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, Highway, Main aur Charles, and now this! Easily, this is his best role till-date.
Set in Karnal, in the NCR region, this story - about blood trafficking - is inspired by true events around 2002, and is narrated to us by Rajesh, played by Akshay Oberoi. Coming from a poor background, he joins a diploma course at a government college, and his ambitions are brought to life by Shankar that he meets there. Shankar is the go-to man for the people in and around the premises. What follows is a tale of ambition, crime, love, loyalty, and friendship.
Extremely good-looking and rugged, Randeep makes use of his Haryanvi roots very well, to ease into the role of Shankar. The Kharch Karod slow-motion number, where a cancer-stick sticks out of the transistor he's holding, speaks volumes of the natural performer that he is. He doesn't miss a beat in the entire film.
Personally, I hope this is his "Zanjeer", before his (biggest release) "Sholay"- read "Sarbjit". That would be nice, for he deserves it. I walked out of the movie-hall wondering why he is not a bigger star, yet, and sometimes life defies logic. Well, hope he doesn't go the Jimmy Shergill way...!
Pia Bajpai starts off unnaturally, but soon gets into her role, producing laughs with her 'Rapidex' English. Akshay Oberoi supports Hooda very well, after I initially thought he was just another brown-eyed kid in the block.
Kunal M Shah and Lovely Singh have done exceedingly well in the casting department, as you feel you are watching real characters and not the actors on-screen, with Meenakshi Dixit, Rajendra Sethi, and Shreya Narayan, too. Not to mention Kumar Saurabh, who sincerely plays Shani baba.
Music-wise, Mathias Duplessy, Vipin Patwa and Shiraz Uppal have collaborated well to produce a soundtrack that blends in well with the story, after the first twenty minutes or so.
How many times have we lately seen the story lose momentum post intermission. This one is a welcome change as it only gets exponentially better.
Syed Ahmad Afzal and Pankaj Matta have done a terrific job with the dialogues, which is the USP of the film, after our leading man. Like this one-liner where it is mentioned that blood is so underrated that it's value is only realized when you need it.
The Youngistaan director, Syed Ahmad Afzal, in only his second film. deserved a bigger budget and better editing, as it has a sense of rawness. I see a winner already if this is remade in Tamil, with a mass hero that can act half as well as our hero, here, a good director and a better producer. For it has a story tugs at the heartstrings.
You'll fall in love with Shankar. That character couldn't have had a better name! Come on, everybody! For now, it's time to groove... Jai Jai Shiva Shankar!
My verdict: B+, no pun intended! 3 out of 5 stars.
Set in Karnal, in the NCR region, this story - about blood trafficking - is inspired by true events around 2002, and is narrated to us by Rajesh, played by Akshay Oberoi. Coming from a poor background, he joins a diploma course at a government college, and his ambitions are brought to life by Shankar that he meets there. Shankar is the go-to man for the people in and around the premises. What follows is a tale of ambition, crime, love, loyalty, and friendship.
Extremely good-looking and rugged, Randeep makes use of his Haryanvi roots very well, to ease into the role of Shankar. The Kharch Karod slow-motion number, where a cancer-stick sticks out of the transistor he's holding, speaks volumes of the natural performer that he is. He doesn't miss a beat in the entire film.
Personally, I hope this is his "Zanjeer", before his (biggest release) "Sholay"- read "Sarbjit". That would be nice, for he deserves it. I walked out of the movie-hall wondering why he is not a bigger star, yet, and sometimes life defies logic. Well, hope he doesn't go the Jimmy Shergill way...!
Pia Bajpai starts off unnaturally, but soon gets into her role, producing laughs with her 'Rapidex' English. Akshay Oberoi supports Hooda very well, after I initially thought he was just another brown-eyed kid in the block.
Kunal M Shah and Lovely Singh have done exceedingly well in the casting department, as you feel you are watching real characters and not the actors on-screen, with Meenakshi Dixit, Rajendra Sethi, and Shreya Narayan, too. Not to mention Kumar Saurabh, who sincerely plays Shani baba.
Music-wise, Mathias Duplessy, Vipin Patwa and Shiraz Uppal have collaborated well to produce a soundtrack that blends in well with the story, after the first twenty minutes or so.
How many times have we lately seen the story lose momentum post intermission. This one is a welcome change as it only gets exponentially better.
Syed Ahmad Afzal and Pankaj Matta have done a terrific job with the dialogues, which is the USP of the film, after our leading man. Like this one-liner where it is mentioned that blood is so underrated that it's value is only realized when you need it.
The Youngistaan director, Syed Ahmad Afzal, in only his second film. deserved a bigger budget and better editing, as it has a sense of rawness. I see a winner already if this is remade in Tamil, with a mass hero that can act half as well as our hero, here, a good director and a better producer. For it has a story tugs at the heartstrings.
You'll fall in love with Shankar. That character couldn't have had a better name! Come on, everybody! For now, it's time to groove... Jai Jai Shiva Shankar!
My verdict: B+, no pun intended! 3 out of 5 stars.
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