Once upon a time in Mumbaai, Milan Luthria's last film was one of my fav films, it still is. The reason was, the screenplay, the powerful dialogues, the background score and the main two lead actor performances. THE DIRTY PICTURE falls short in each of these aspects, unfortunately.

Firstly, its not clear even after the end of the film, whether Milan wanted to portray the real 'Silk' or he just took her apperance and profession, and made it fictional. If its taken into account that it was both real and fictional, then too the flaws are in plenty. The narrative is linear, I agree that Milan wanted to show the Vidya Balan we know in start, and the transformation happening into the sex symbol 'Silk', but after that some non linear narrative could had helped the narrative. But, it goes in a straightforward manner...

Vidya Balan's performance is no doubt top notch, but her character gets too vulgar for my liking at various places. She does whatever comes in her mind, she feels its the only way for her success, and eventually her sex symbol turns out to be her downfall too. Even her downfall is shown in a hurry and unconvincing way, it just all of a sudden happens.

Plus, the voiceover of Emraan Hashmi after a certain point gets over-done. Sure, some of his punchlines are very well written, especially the one where he indirectly relates to his own reel life status.

Out of the 3 male leads, only Naseeruddin Shah gives a good performance, thanks to well written role. A superstar, who knows how to raise Silk and also bring her down(much like Arbaaz in Fashion). Tusshar Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi fail mainly because of badly written characters. Tusshar is more or less in a cameo in film, his love for Silk sounds very wierd. His performance was decent, his cut-away shot dancing madly was my fav one.

Emraan Hashmi shines only because of the punchlines he gets to speak in the whole film, as a performer he has very less scope in his role. During the award stage scene of Silk, Emraan's expression should had been more properly directed, because its there when his change in heart actually began towards Silk. Sure, it totally completed only after that triple role film competition. Eventually what happens is that, we don't really feel any connect for his liking that develops for Silk. As a result, his final scene with Silk also goes pretty much motionless.

Also, my complain continues against directors for trying to make a mockery of showing a film within a film so badly. Most of Naseeruddin films, appear such trash, same for the triple role films both Silk and Emraan indulge in seperately. Were the south films so bad in 80's ? If so, then I will take away my complain.

The music kept growing slowly on me, its not a chartbuster kind of album. Some songs goes well the narrative. 'Oh la la' is a visual treat. Honeymoon ki raat though kept at right place, is poorly choreographed. Ishq Sufiyana is the only song, that could had been removed.. only if Emraan's character was well written, this song would had made any impact.

The background score at places was good, nakka mukka was used very well at different places in the film.

Some of the notable sequences of the film :

• Silk running away from her house, and the visuals along with Emraan's narration telling that the paths create itself as she moves on roads.

• Various punchlines of Silk, 'main entertainment hoon', 'Bas mann mein aaya aur kar diya', 'ek ke saath 500 baar'.

• Silk finding a way to help journalist shoot her, and not her small home .. and getting more footage in a magazine than Naseeruddin who has a big home.

• The interval sequence, Silk letting her anger out on people present there who are not really happy for her win. Only prob though, she shifts from mic and speaks to such large audience.. can they really hear it that way ? But the end of this scene is classic 'main silk hoon silk, koi film nahi .. jo interval ke baad badal jaaye'.

• Emraan's dialogue referring to his own reel image, in a scene with Silk.

• The dance of Silk on her car trying to spoil a journalist party.



Overall, Dirty Picture fails to impress because of its execution and writing both. The fall of Silk is too quick, so is the love of Abraham(Emraan) for Silk. Its hard to sympathise with Silk at her helplessness even in the scene where she shouts loudly because she feels so lonely with no one to talk to her. Vidya Balan did give her everything in this film, yet despite a great performance, the film offers nothing worth remembering. The film would be loved only by the cheap aam janta as the sexual content is in plenty, and the various celeb fans out of all 4 leads. For rest, this film is just one time watch...


Verdict : Below Average