Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Iss dhandhe mein koi kisi ka bhai nahi hota, beta nahi hota .. 


Watched this film in theatre today, thanx to PVR celebrating 30 yrs of Vidhu Vinod Chopra in cinema. When you watch a late 90s hindi film in 2012, a expected feeling comes that it was made for that time and audience in mind. Having said that, there's lot to praise in this film.

The story is about Kishen (Jackie Shroff) who works for Anna (Nana Patekar) in the underworld. Kishen's brother Karan (Anil Kapoor) returns from America completing his studies. Kishen is worried, one because Karan doesn't know the kind of place he works in, and two, he wants Karan to be away from this place. Will Kishen manage to keep Karan away from the mess of underworld, or Will Karan join him too ?

How brilliant are the scenes where they build up the about to happen murders of various people, the tension build before the shot firing actually happens. The background theme used in all of those sequences is fantastic, infact its very good in entire film. Only time I didn't like a theme was, when it plays during fire fear of Anna. Also, the firing scene of Anna in pre-climax is one of my favs. 

The cinematography is very good, love various shots of Mumbai shown especially 'gateway of India'. Editing could had been fast, the film gets slow at various places. Direction is top notch. And I love all the close up shots used, tells a lot about the quality of performances and trust in the actors. Dialogues are bit average, quite dramatic at places. Infact at places, I felt the expressions of actor would had been enough rather than making them say a certain dialogue, reference to Abdul's murder scene where Karan says bit too much while murdering him.

The use of pigeons as reference or metaphor at places is very good. The shot where Karan is sitting in balcony and watches all the pigeons (parinde) fly off.  Or the one where Prakash dies with the parindey flying along with him.

Some songs dissappointed me, the one used where Karan meets Paro to tell he won't return now was completely forced into the narrative, mainly because it made the proceedings too melodramatic. But it was 1989 I have to take in mind too. While Tumse milke aisa laga tumse milke, broken into pieces reduced its impact. I loved the song they use to show their childhood, where they cover the childhood times. Also, the celebration song between Karan and Kishen is quite a fun. 

Nana Patekar is fantastic, the way he talks and communicates with his gang, police and enemies, minus the trademark beating his head (wonder if it came from this film) during fire scenes. His use of 'Acha hai, bahut acha hai' while talking and special mention to the scene where he talks with Kishen, and then tells Abdul to kill both brothers! 

Jackie Shroff has a heroic entry, and very well plays the loving brother who can't see him die. I love the scenes at private beer place where he is mostly angry at something related to his brother. Also, the final no dialogue sequence, he steals it from Nana in that scene.

Anil Kapoor in the happy avatar hams a lot for me, its only after death of Prakash, I start liking his acting. The two gun-shots he has, Francsis and Abdul were his best scenes in the film. 

Madhuri Dixit is decent in small role. Suresh Oberoi is awesome in a supporting role. Anupam Kher is slightly over the top. Tom Alter is good.


Overall, Parinda suffers only due to its length and equal importance given to the love angle with the audience of that time in mind. Cut 30 mins off, and it would had been one of my fav all time films. Still, its a very nice film to watch.


Verdict : NICE 

P.S : But if you know where Vidhu Vinod Chopra was in the film.. then do tell me .. I couldn't recognise him in the film.