Movie Review of " RAANJHANAA ".

Before i pen down my review of RAANJHANAA, i would like to commend the  vision   as well as implementation of  director ANAND.L.RAI who has given us two back to back stunningly different love stories namely TANU WEDS MANU & RAANJHANAA. Although, both of them have a common premise of being based in small towns but the thought process of romance in both the movies is in total contrast. The focus is on emotions here and RAANJHANAA is akin to a container that encloses myriad emotions such as affection, abhorrence, penance, euphoria and betrayal. On surface, this may seem like an uncomplicated story, but scratch the exterior and there's a strong undercurrent of emotions ready to explode and engulf you... Embellished with a taut screenplay and super performances, RAANJHANAA easily charms its way into your heart! It’s a brilliant defiant moment defining the contradictions and savage ironies of romantic associations. Raanjhanaa tells us, it is not so cool to fall in love. Unless you’re ready to slither on the ground for love, if the need arises. 
The film celebrates the pain of heart-brokenness. She slaps him? That’s fine. He loves her all the more for it. She turns his proposal down?   That’s okay. He’ll do it again...and ... again. It’s the protagonist’s single-mindedness that navigates this enchanting love story through a series of circumstances that make Kundan look as brazen as they make destiny look.

STORY & SCREENPLAY                  :       A big credit goes to HIMANSHU SHARMA who has not only written the story but he has also penned the screenplay as well as the dialogues of this flick. In fact, he did the same for Anand's last flick Tanu Weds Manu also. Simplicity and unfussiness catches your eye/attention right away in this world of flashy and ostentatious makeovers. Initially, RAANJHANAA manages to hook you with the atmospherics, but the ingenious narrative and worthy performances win you over gradually. The romance, the simplistic lines, the heartbreak... the film transports you to a different zone altogether. The dream-like world gives the impression of being pure and unadulterated initially, but this illusory world is soon shattered by reality [read corrupted by greed and power] as the plot thickens.  It's not the customary love yarn we spectators are habituated to watching on the Hindi screen. The sequences between the lead pair are humorous and endearing, with some distinctive moments. There are heartrending and distressing flashes too and also sequences that astonish... that's when you put your hands together for the screenwriter and also the director for being so unconventional, so original, so innovative. I 'll say its the kind of a movie that comes once in a while and it is phenomenally striking movie which will strike your emotions to the core.........you will either love it or hate it. But never the less, it a refreshingly different bold attempt to offer something out of the blues. I apologize as this time i am not going  to divulge the story-line as i want you to relish the proceedings by watching it on-screen. Look for subtext - Rai goes well beyond a mere romance; he makes political statements, attacks communal ism, gives us a slice of life insider account of youth wing statecraft; it's all there. It may not be entirely authentic and often exaggerated, but in Raanjhanaa's world, Rai strives to make it real.

  STARCAST                                  :   Dhanush, who makes his Hindi film debut with RAANJHANAA, is simply outstanding. To state that he's the mainstay of the film would be most appropriate. You take back his innocence, his dedication for his beloved, his emotions as you exit the auditorium. Here's a performance that deserves an ovation! The actor in Sonam was waiting for a role that would make the spectator sit up and notice it and the one in RAANJHANAA gives her that opportunity. The headstrong and emotional persona comes across so well in this film. In addition, like DELHI 6, she's devoid of makeup and that makes the character so appealing. This film is a huge leap frontward for Sonam as an actor. Abhay Deol is understated, but effectual in a special appearance. It's a superior act, something you've come to expect from the talented actor. The supporting cast is unblemished and each of them pitches in a superior performance. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub is a talent to watch out for. He's remarkable as Dhanush's friend. Swara Bhaskar is equally fab in a role that offers her plenty of scope to display histrionics. Watch her expressions when she confronts Sonam in Hospital by saying " The guy ( Dhanush ) admitted inside is not my man, as my man never oozed blood from his mouth". Kumud Mishra is first-rate as father of Sonam and completely justifies the character assigned to him..Although Vipin Sharma gets very little time on-screen but he dazzels whenever he appears with powerful expressions and a very confident body language. Sujata Kumar who comes in the penultimate moments of the movie is first-rate as the scheming politician. Rahul Shanklya, deserves appreciation for choosing the apt actors as per the characters they have to portray. 

TECHNICAL FINESSE                      :  The music of Raanjhanaa has been composed by the Oscar winner and music maestro i.e. A.R.RAHMAN but i found it to be very average especially in comparison to the fine music that he has composed in his earlier movies. It is good & hummable too, but it is not something that lingers on your mind for a longer period of time. The man behind the lens and responsible for the visual appeal of the movie as a Cinematographer is N.Natrajan.Subramaniam. He has done his job with lot of finesse and he has ably captured the locales of  Varanasi in an enchanting manner and has also been able to capture the various shades of emotions in the background with lot of aesthetics. E.Hemal.Kothari is first grade as an editor and has edited the movie in such a crisp manner that you wont find a single dull moment during its run-time of 141 minutes. ANAND. L.RAI is the one who has managed this show being the director and deserves adequate applause for not only doing his work with utmost sincerity but also entertaining Cine lovers by giving a memorable love story. Anand elicits the conservative/old school middle class setting wonderfully well. The milieu and narrative wholly absorb you, making you believe that you're as much part of the goings-on. Furthermore, the director uses only expressions -- without resorting to heavy-duty dialogue in few sequences -- delightfully.

WOW MOMENTS                       :     The scene where Dhanush enjoys getting slapped by Sonam is very witty. In fact most of his scenes in the first half where he is chasing Sonam are full of  humor, the best part is that the humor which arises is natural and not forced. And the intense manner in which he rebukes the minister in second half of movie is worth watching.

CONCLUSION                               :              On the whole, RAANJHANAA encompasses romance and myriad emotions most wonderfully, besides bravura performances and a popular musical score from the maestro. A film that touches the core of your heart. Angry, aggressive, passionate, temperamental, moody and quite simply majestic Raanjhanaa is an opulent epic seductive raging and rippling ode to love. It’s a brilliant defiant moment defining the contradictions and savage ironies of romantic associations. A film that's definitely worthy of a watch. Not to be missed !

 ROHIT SHARMA.
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