We are slowly but very surely making our way towards a style of directions which will very soon be classified under a different genre. A genre that will go with the initials of DB. He is just 4 movies old or should I say 4 movies young but Dibakar Banerjee has given us enough and more to feel really good about. Starting from Khosla Ka Ghosla, he has always entertained us with his signature style of directing. One that doesn’t push the movie to the limits of speed that the audience that can be pushed to but takes the absolute easy paced way of entertainment. One that ensures that each scene is shown for just the right amount of time – flirting with the arty farty long shots at times but never going overboard. A style that I am personally getting very addicted to and am enjoying every bit of.
If there is a fault I can find with Shanghai then it would be with its pace. DB tends to get a wee bit carried away in getting the intensity up. With the whirring of the fan in the background of a seriously intense scene or with the Clock ticking in the background of an intense hospital scene where Ahmedi (Prosenjit) is fighting to stay alive. The other aspect would have been that the performances from the extras looked forced in a couple of scenes. Barring this, Shanghai is near perfect.
Shanghai is a political drama if ever there was one. Ahmedi is a social activist who is campaigning for the fair treatment of people who are being relocated from Bharat Nagar for building a new SEZ. He realizes that the people are getting a raw deal from the ruling coalition. Of course the coalition is not planning on keeping mum and has him disposed off. And then puts up an enquiry commission to save face. But… the commission is led by a person with an elephantine memory called T A Krishnan (Abhay Deol).
Emraan Hashmi delivers on the confidence that DB put onto him in his picture perfect execution of Jogi Parmar, a sleazy photographer. Abhay Deol yet again convincingly executes the role of a South Indian IAS officer who is struggling to come to terms with being on the right side of the politicians but on the wrong side of his values. The rest of the cast has names which have always been dependable and continue to be so.
I had predicted a very good movie in Shanghai. But now I am rephrasing my judgement. Shanghai will finish in the top 5 movies of the year for sure. And it may be remembered for quite some time to come. And mind you that is primarily due to DB’s ice cold, fluent and effortless direction. Right now, I am only wondering how good Gangs of Wasseypur will turn out to be. At 7.5 on 10 Shanghai is going to be a tough act to beat.
Watch the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3VRi50BLgc
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