I know what you are thinking..this movie has Sonam Kapoor and Dhanush as its leads. It sounds like the typical boy girl romance love story. There hasn’t even been much noise about its release either. I don’t blame you. These were the thoughts even I had when I hesitatingly entered the movie hall. As I exited it however, there were no misgivings..except perhaps that it still had Sonam Kapoor..as the female lead. Raanjhanaa..contrary to expectation is quite a gem
The movie starts off confirming all your worst fears. The plot context and build up is predictable and stereotypical. Dhanush doesn’t impress on first look. For the first half he looks like a bad version of Vivek Oberoi who has issues with dialogue delivery in Hindi. Sonam Kapoor picks up from where she left off, screeching and screaming and you never stop wishing this movie had another female lead. What is fresh even in this is the writing and the humor. While some might find some of the lines crude, I thought they fit the context well and brought some genuine laughs.
However, as the movie gathers momentum the criticisms dry up. Plot twists happen and connect to the characters builds so rapidly that you have little time for other frivolities. Dhanush introduces you to the range of emotions he can portray despite the restrained performance the script required, pulling off a complex character with finesse. Sonam Kapoor’s expressive face begins to convey far more, though her dialogues continue to jar. Its in the quieter moments that she is far more bearable. Abhay Deol is his trademark dependable self handling a fairly simple character. The side actors, Swara Bhaskar and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub deserve more than a special mention. Swara plays her role with such a natural ease that one wonders if she could have done a better job of the lead character than Sonam and Ayyub’s has the most comedic lines delivered with just the right timing
The movie puts you through quite an emotional wringer and some might even find themselves shedding a tear or two or at the very least feel a lump in the throat. While some plot development may seem contrived, I guess it was essential to tell a good story. The writing is top notch and especially Dhanush’s lines seem to have been given a lot of thought. The song and dance routine is smartly done and though there are plenty of songs, most form a backdrop to the progressing narrative so it doesn’t slow down.
Aanand Rai, the name brings painful memories of Tanu Weds Manu (which I am told was a hit with the masses; wonders will never cease..) but don’t let that mislead you into not watching this one. With Raanjhanaa Aanand Rai, hits it out of the park with subtle scenes that convey intense meaning eg. Dhanush running, but there’s more to it than that..I’ve forgotten that he even made Tanu Weds Manu
Raanjhanaa then is one of the better movies this season. Even if this review doesn’t convince you as much, do give it a shot and you might just fall in love with what you watch
A superlative movie in terms of direction, acting, cinematography, as well as music. For an actor to look as ordinary as Dhanush in a bollywood movie, but still have a great screen presence as well as can run a movie on his shoulder, hats off to him! -- Sonam Kapoor has improved massively... She looks beautiful in the movie, as usual!. Abhay has a small role, but still leaves his impact. The roles of Dhanush's buddies have been done excellently as well.
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