Producer: Mukesh Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt, and Vishesh Bhatt
Director: Anurag Basu
Starring: Emran Hashmi, Shiney Ahuja, Kangna Ranaut, Gulshan Grover
Music: Pritam and Gautam Chatterjee
Lyrics: Sayeed Quadri, Neelesh Mishra, and Mayur
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Audience: General
Approximate Running Time: 2.5 hrs
Film Released on: 01 May 2006
Not Just Another Extra Marital Bliss!!!
The Bhatt camp really knows how to recycle its own formula of an extra marital affair thereby once again giving it a new outlook and an emotional touch. A rather depressing movie with a sad ending that has a lot of monologue, tears and slow moving storyline but an interesting suspense will not appease the mass in general. The Bhatts has this time gone shopping to Bangladesh for music and Seoul for its beautiful picturesque and introduced a new holiday destination to India. Emran Hashmi, a nightmare for every husband on this planet, has become an expert at playing the bee who sucks the honey out of the flower before it could see the light of the day. Though his potential has not gone unnoticed in Kalyug but this time he makes a statement that if offered a matured role then he can definitely prove his detractors wrong.
The Story written by Mahesh Bhatt, definitely has shades of Abu Salem and Monika Bedi relationship but its inspiration has been blended with the nightmare that Emran Hashmi gives to Abu Salem played by Shiney Ahuja the Gangster. Though Shiney Ahuja has got to play the title role and the story revolves round the character but it has less screen presence compared to Emran and Kangna. The movie revolves round the life of Monika Bedi that has been well played by the new comer Kangna. She has a figure of a typical ramp model that is not actually the taste of India and will need to blossom into Mallikas, Sushmitas or the likes with time. She has given a stellar performance in a difficult role especially as a new comer and definitely has arrived in Bollywood making a strong foothold. Most of the time she is crying and hams in some scenes over the top of her voice.
Anurag Basu's cinematography seems to be in awe of terraces, parapets, and balconies to shoot his intimate scenes that has been evident right from Murder and also in Gangster. The seasons and the locales of Seoul (South Korea) has been beautifully exploited by the cameraman and some scenes really have a stunning look. It seems as if landscape paintings of the woods covered by the bed of golden leaves falling from the trees have come to life. The Music is the highlight of the film. Where ever the Bhatts go to hunt for their music but still they take pains to introduce different music to the ears of India and there by set a trend for the rest. It is a refreshing change from the monotonous scores of nasal Himesh that have hit the marquee recently.
As far as the story goes it has a lot of twists and turns that will keep you guessing & surprised but in a very subtle way. Simran(Kangna), is an alchoholic who drinks by the gallons as though she is the girl friend of Vijay Mallaya and not the Gangster Daya (Shiney Ahuja). Daya is shown always running a marathon from Mauritius to Dubai to different countries only to loose his love to our serial lover & kisser Akash (Emran Hashmi). Akash(Emran) is a bar singer in Seoul and Simran is an ex bar dancer, ram milaye jodi! Then obviously there are some steamy kisses, well how can you imagine Emran sign a movie without one. Then getting caught by Daya with their pants down and betrayal. The second half of the movie moves at the right pace and lives up with a few surprises. Daya's role has very few dialogues and totally based on his expressions that have been played well by Shiney Ahuja. Overall Gangster is worth a dekkho only if you are in for some serious heavy cinema.
