Movie: Kaminey

Director: Vishal Bharadwaj

Actors: Shahid Kapur, Priyanka Chopra

Vishal Bhardwaj is one director who never fails to show the dark side of human life. Be it Maqbool, Omkara or the latest Kaminey!

This is a story about two brothers(double role played by Shahid Kapur) Charlie who has a lisp( woh fa ko fa bolta hain u fee!), and Guddu who stammers while t-t-t-t-t-talking. They lead different lives, Charlie a small time gangster who fixes horse races and Guddu who’s the boy next door with a good heart who frantically looks around for the packet of Kamasutras on his first night with his mulgi(Priyanka). No he really does believe in safe sex he even goes around doing streetplays, and distributing nirodh to spread awareness regarding AIDS.

But one day the paths of the two brothers cross!!!! DHAN TE NAN…….And enter, Tashi – the drug dealer, Bhope- the big bad ‘jai maharashtra’ politician brother of Sweety(Guddu’s very own mulgi), two corrupt policemen, three Bengali babu moshais , guns, dope and guitar and a lot of running around, adventure, emotion, dialogue, pita ka pyar and bhaiyon ki takrar!!

The movie is no doubt for an intelligent audience. You’re expected to understand! Who is this guy?? What happened to the police?? Hadn’t this guy died?? etc. etc. Which is a good sign, and actually good fun too.

Shahid Kapur has played two challenging roles with absolute élan. A complete delight. My personal favourite scene would be when he runs(upper body- bare) with the horses with the blinkers(on Shahid and the horses). A feast to the eyes! *sigh*. Priyanka Chopra manages her marathi well, very natural, a little clinky maybe but that is her character. Apart from these mega stars Bhardwaj has made use of new actors who wear their characters as a second skin which makes the otherwise out and out drama a believable affair.

The movie’s cinematography moves in dark colours, the frames are shaky, huddled, which makes it a little a difficult to figure out what’s going on, sometimes. The pace of the story drags a little during the first half, but I am glad that the second half more than makes up for it. I did not it find it too surprising, shocking etc. In short I was desperately left asking for more as far as the original DHAN TE NAN moments in the movie are concerned.

Watch it for Bharadwaj’s brilliant movie-making sense, Shahid’s coming of age performance, okay fine the story’s also not that bad, and THE song…DHAN TE NAN!!!!

…..and do tell me how it was !!! :)