Movie Review: Guddu Rangeela

Guddu Rangeela is a film that can't make up its mind. Does it want to be a comedy about two bumbling wannabe gangsters? Or does it want to be a social critique on honour killings? Or does it strive to be a revenge saga of lovers against their oppressor? It tries to be all that and more. Not succeeding in being true to any aspect of its storyline. This is Subhash Kapoor's weakest film yet.

Kapoor's previous offerings - Say Salaam India, Phas Gaye Re Obama and Jolly LLB were genuinely fresh stories. Each movie had an intriguingly new premise and the settings of North India and the distinct local culture added to these stories. Guddu Rangeela though set in the same milieu, doesn't have the backing of a never before scene concept. This one is a run of the mill story of thugs, police and politicians. Stereotyped furthermore with its romantic subplots. At one point Amit Sadh's and Aditi Rao Hyderi's characters randomly break into a jarring romantic ballad, dancing and frolicking around trees et al. The high flying bullet riddled action seems like a severe misfit too. It feels like too much is being crammed into too little a space. Kapoor even tries to sneak in references to Sholay and to his own previous movies. But none of it does any favour to the storytelling.

The smartest parts of Guddu Rangeela are its dialogue and lyrics. Mata ka email aaya hai in particular sets the right kind of mood at the very beginning. But then the movie goes no where. Its characters are interesting but their stories aren't spectacular. Amit Sadh and Arshad Warsi play Guddu and Rangeela respectively. They're an odd singing and thug pair. And their bromance makes them likeable thieves. The narrative fleetingly mentions they're related, but its never explained. In stead the focus lies on their wit and sarcasm. Their ability to integrate swear words in small talk. The two actors perform remarkably well. Sadh handles the energy and the sense of cocky overconfidence with gusto. Warsi handles the sense of calm and cynicism with great effect. End of the day it's the efforts of the actors that saves this film. Ronit Roy has the stand out performance. He plays an orthodox jat chauvinist pig, who would kill for honour and pride. He's the quintessential bad guy. Even though the character doesn't have as much depth as it should, Roy infuses a great sense of purpose to the role. Aditi Rao Hyderi lends able support to the main cast.

The one reason Guddu Rangeela avoids embarrassment is its performances. The actors really do save this film. Whether it's the comedy by the supporting cast or the dramatic turns of the leads, the acting keeps the spark alive. Needless to say, Subhash Kapoor's film is well-made. But it's also severely flawed. His films are usually noticed for their writing and that's exactly where Guddu Rangeela falls short.