Directed by : Anurag Kashyap
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2979920/
Anurag Kashyap can go wrong too, poor screenplay lets the film down.
10 years in the making, a Anurag Kashyap movie with Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in main leads, it would increase expectations of anyone who has followed Kashyap cinema closely. However, Bombay Velvet ends up as a major disappointment.
Its early 60’s of Bombay and Johnny Balraj (Ranbir Kapoor) wants to become a big shot. From earning a living through street fighter along with his friend Chiman (Satyadeep Mishra), they become henchmen for Kaizad Khambhata (Karan Johar) who is editor of ‘Torrent’ and also a top wheel-dealer. Kaizad has a liking for Johnny and makes him in-charge of his club ‘Bombay Velvet’. Jimmy Mistry (Manish Chaudhury), editor of ‘Glitz’ and former friend of Kaizad, keeps coming in their way. And then there’s Jimmy’s mistress Rosie (Anushka Sharma) who he sends to Johnny and find an important negative that could ruin the entire city. Rosie becomes a Jazz singer at Bombay Velvet but eventually falls in love with Johnny too. Will Johnny succeed in becoming a Big Shot, and what will he do when he finds out the truth about Rosie?
Based on Gyan Prakash's book ‘Mumbai Fables’, there is so much to love in Bombay Velvet. For instance the brilliant production design by Sonal Sawant. The sets created in Sri Lanka gives you the feel of Bombay in 50’s and 60’s shown in the movie. Niharika Khan’s costumes reminds of good old mobster movies like Scorsese’s Goodfellas, he even gets a special mention before opening credits. Amit Trivedi’s soundtrack brings out the Jazz world post independence beautifully, and so does his background score. Also, Hollywood editor Thelma Schoonmaker (known most for her Scorsese edited movies) edits the movie pretty nicely.
But a movie can’t simply work on basis of technical brilliance. Its the screenwriting and Kashyap’s execution that fails the movie. Yes even Kashyap got it wrong. The screenplay is so shaky that it never engages you after the 1st act of establishing the characters is done. The second act and the climax is disappointing, even the Tommy Guns homage to Scarface in few sequences makes no impact whatsoever. And it frustrates you a hell lot because the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is well created and there are actors who give very good performances, yet it turns out to be not enough at all.
Johnny-Rosie love story is weakly handled thereby the chosen end to it doesn’t really affect you. Would had been better if they focussed on the crime drama and the political angle more instead. There’s a unwanted twin angle, a character trying to split two friends, climax involving strange funny villain-lead actor interaction, all these cliches in a Kashyap movie pretty much sums up Bombay Velvet.
Amit Trivedi’s music is fantastic, and is used in the narrative very well. ‘Dhadaam Dhadaam’ stands out for the emotions and intensity Anushka brings out in it plus the drama Kashyap sets in that sequence. ‘Fifi’ different version used is good too. So, is ‘Sylvia’ again for Anushka’s lip syncing. Special mention to ‘Aam Hindustani’ track at opening credits which sets the mood for Jazz beautifully. My personal favorite ‘Bombay Velvet theme’ is used aptly at many places in narrative.
In the performances, Ranbir Kapoor is fantastic as power hungry protagonist, watch the scene where he watches a movie on screen and later practices those two keywords in mirror ‘Big Shot’. Or when he decides to betray Kaizad without worrying about its aftereffects, or when he loses someone very dear to him due to his decisions. Wish they worked on his greed angle in detail. Its sad that such a performance goes down wasted due to a bad movie.
Anushka Sharma gets the Jazz singing act perfectly, but its her character sketch that is inconsistent, for instance her first violent scene comes out of no where and you never come to know when and how exactly she fell in love with Johnny. Could had been great if her character was given more motives.
Karan Johar in his first major role as an actor (seen before in films like DDLJ), that too in a negative role does reasonably well, and is surprisingly so restrained. Watch out the scene where he is in conversation with Johnny and Chimman, and has to come out of room to have a loud laugh all alone. There are hints of homosexual behavior in just a few scenes, one of its dialogue gives a good laugh too.
Raveena Tandon makes a special appearance, surprisingly was expecting a cameo, probably edited out. She looked extremely gorgeous in the jazz singer looks.
Kay Kay Menon is terribly wasted, and gets some of worst possible dialogues along with that unusual last scene. Only Satyadeep Mishra shines among the rest cast, playing friend of Johnny effectively.
Bombay Velvet works only for its performances and specially the technical aspects but you expect lot more from a Kashyap movie. In the end he is also human, as his most ambitious movie turns out to be very much forgettable.
Verdict : 2.5/5
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2979920/
Anurag Kashyap can go wrong too, poor screenplay lets the film down.
10 years in the making, a Anurag Kashyap movie with Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in main leads, it would increase expectations of anyone who has followed Kashyap cinema closely. However, Bombay Velvet ends up as a major disappointment.
Its early 60’s of Bombay and Johnny Balraj (Ranbir Kapoor) wants to become a big shot. From earning a living through street fighter along with his friend Chiman (Satyadeep Mishra), they become henchmen for Kaizad Khambhata (Karan Johar) who is editor of ‘Torrent’ and also a top wheel-dealer. Kaizad has a liking for Johnny and makes him in-charge of his club ‘Bombay Velvet’. Jimmy Mistry (Manish Chaudhury), editor of ‘Glitz’ and former friend of Kaizad, keeps coming in their way. And then there’s Jimmy’s mistress Rosie (Anushka Sharma) who he sends to Johnny and find an important negative that could ruin the entire city. Rosie becomes a Jazz singer at Bombay Velvet but eventually falls in love with Johnny too. Will Johnny succeed in becoming a Big Shot, and what will he do when he finds out the truth about Rosie?
Based on Gyan Prakash's book ‘Mumbai Fables’, there is so much to love in Bombay Velvet. For instance the brilliant production design by Sonal Sawant. The sets created in Sri Lanka gives you the feel of Bombay in 50’s and 60’s shown in the movie. Niharika Khan’s costumes reminds of good old mobster movies like Scorsese’s Goodfellas, he even gets a special mention before opening credits. Amit Trivedi’s soundtrack brings out the Jazz world post independence beautifully, and so does his background score. Also, Hollywood editor Thelma Schoonmaker (known most for her Scorsese edited movies) edits the movie pretty nicely.
But a movie can’t simply work on basis of technical brilliance. Its the screenwriting and Kashyap’s execution that fails the movie. Yes even Kashyap got it wrong. The screenplay is so shaky that it never engages you after the 1st act of establishing the characters is done. The second act and the climax is disappointing, even the Tommy Guns homage to Scarface in few sequences makes no impact whatsoever. And it frustrates you a hell lot because the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is well created and there are actors who give very good performances, yet it turns out to be not enough at all.
Johnny-Rosie love story is weakly handled thereby the chosen end to it doesn’t really affect you. Would had been better if they focussed on the crime drama and the political angle more instead. There’s a unwanted twin angle, a character trying to split two friends, climax involving strange funny villain-lead actor interaction, all these cliches in a Kashyap movie pretty much sums up Bombay Velvet.
Amit Trivedi’s music is fantastic, and is used in the narrative very well. ‘Dhadaam Dhadaam’ stands out for the emotions and intensity Anushka brings out in it plus the drama Kashyap sets in that sequence. ‘Fifi’ different version used is good too. So, is ‘Sylvia’ again for Anushka’s lip syncing. Special mention to ‘Aam Hindustani’ track at opening credits which sets the mood for Jazz beautifully. My personal favorite ‘Bombay Velvet theme’ is used aptly at many places in narrative.
In the performances, Ranbir Kapoor is fantastic as power hungry protagonist, watch the scene where he watches a movie on screen and later practices those two keywords in mirror ‘Big Shot’. Or when he decides to betray Kaizad without worrying about its aftereffects, or when he loses someone very dear to him due to his decisions. Wish they worked on his greed angle in detail. Its sad that such a performance goes down wasted due to a bad movie.
Anushka Sharma gets the Jazz singing act perfectly, but its her character sketch that is inconsistent, for instance her first violent scene comes out of no where and you never come to know when and how exactly she fell in love with Johnny. Could had been great if her character was given more motives.
Karan Johar in his first major role as an actor (seen before in films like DDLJ), that too in a negative role does reasonably well, and is surprisingly so restrained. Watch out the scene where he is in conversation with Johnny and Chimman, and has to come out of room to have a loud laugh all alone. There are hints of homosexual behavior in just a few scenes, one of its dialogue gives a good laugh too.
Raveena Tandon makes a special appearance, surprisingly was expecting a cameo, probably edited out. She looked extremely gorgeous in the jazz singer looks.
Kay Kay Menon is terribly wasted, and gets some of worst possible dialogues along with that unusual last scene. Only Satyadeep Mishra shines among the rest cast, playing friend of Johnny effectively.
Bombay Velvet works only for its performances and specially the technical aspects but you expect lot more from a Kashyap movie. In the end he is also human, as his most ambitious movie turns out to be very much forgettable.
Verdict : 2.5/5
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