While the hype for this movie reached a feverish pitch after the release of the teaser and subsequent trailers - I was cautiously skeptical. Sure, the effects were good and Ranbir looked like Sanjay Dutt in a lot of scenes. However, given all the controversy that surrounds the larger than life star, I wasn't too convinced. Especially if, I felt, the movie will try put rose tinted glasses for me to view Dutt in a new light. I fretted unnecessarily. I should've just told myself this is a Rajkumar Hirani film and left it at that.
Yes, the master film maker has done it again. So sublime is his story telling, so perfect is his craft that you aren't sure where he is pulling the strings as a director and where he lets the story be king and chart its own course. Suffice it to say that in the 160 minutes of runtime, you are unlikely to glance at your watch, even once. There isn't even as much humor or laugh out loud moments as say, a 3 idiots had. Yet, it all just feels - right.
After a somewhat shaky start, the flashback onwards has Raju Hirani in his element. So much could've gone wrong. The scenes could be more laboured or even unnecessary (yes, MS Dhoni - I am looking at you), there could've been unnecessary razzmatazz around 'Baba's entry' , the fanfare, the hype, the sensationalism - and yet, none of it is there. The narration is as simple and natural as it can be.
If this movie's one pillar is its director, the other is surely Ranbir Kapoor. His voice may not match the deep baritone of Sanjay Dutt but even that comes close in a few scenes. In the scene where he is Munnabhai, I actually suspect they played Dutt's dialogue in the background. What is fantastic is that at no point do you feel that Ranbir is copying Sanjay Dutt. Instead, he melds into the personality, slips into those shoes - its simply effortless and in equal parts consistent. His gait, his mannerisms, his behavior, his antics and most importantly, his emotions - everything looks and feels like Dutt himself.
If the mainstream act is solid, the supporting cast is stellar as well. Paresh Rawal may look nothing like Sunil Dutt, but he definitely embodies the persona. The father-son relationship is deep, emotional and wonderfully portrayed. The bromance between Sanju and Kamli comes to life due to the convincing act by Vicky Kaushal, someone who is just going from strength to strength with every movie. Even the female support cast, Manisha Koirala as the supportive mother Nargis and Dia Mirza as Manyata Dutt do a good job in their limited roles. So much so, that even Sonam Kapoor is somewhat bearable in her limited act. Anushka Sharma, however, is wasted in a minor role.
The songs are nothing to write home about. However, the story brings to life 3 classics from the yester-year, at pitch perfect moments, which are sure to gain popularity after this movie.
Of course, you can always debate how close this movie is to the actual life and therein lies the snag. By no means, has Raju Hirani condoned the life and times of Sanjay Dutt. He has openly shown the ill-effects of a drug addled life, the impact on the family as well as the infamous blasts. Yet, he hasn't exactly pinned responsibility on Dutt for most of it. Saying anything more, will spoil your experience - so I'll refrain.
For the best experience of Sanju, forget how true to life the movie is and how much is shown vs how much is hidden. Watch it as an example of sublime story telling, superlative acting and a journey that you rarely get to witness in Hindi cinema.
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