Colourless Emotions

In adherence to Sajid Khan's warning that the 80s will be back on March 29, we were too busy preparing for it to realise that the 80s arrived a week early with Priyadarshan's juvenile melodrama Rangrezz. The National Award winning director has the knack of making the most memorable films as well as really disappointing ones. This, unfortunately, is a point in favour of the latter.

 

Jacky Bhagnani plays Rishi, an honest young man belonging to a middle class Maharashtrian family and is on the verge of being recruited as a Police officer. And as barter for his job, he is betrothed to Megha (Priya Anand), the daughter of his father's friend. He has two close friends - Winu and Pakya (Amitosh Nagpal and Vijay Verma). And as the film introduces this first crop of characters, the focus is suddenly shifted to Joy, Rishi's childhood friend, who has problems with his romantic life. And suddenly, we find ourselves in Lalitpur (UP), as Rishi and his friends drive there to help the two lovers elope. Who drives from Mumbai to somewhere in Uttar Pradesh to elope?

After a lot of opposition, hardship and an extremely loud chase sequence, they finally succeed but not before Rishi is hurt, Winu loses a leg and Pakya goes deaf due to an injury to his head. However, satisfied that they helped two lovers meet, they return to their own world, which has been turned upside down and start a catering business. Whatever happened to wanting to become a policeman and Winu's dream of setting up a computer company? And thus continues a series of events which eventually leads to the group learning that all their efforts have been in vain and that the couple has split.

In a film stuffed with over-dramatic acting and situations with a heightened sense of emotions, the climax is just about right as Rishi gives a lecture on love, integrity and draws a moral line between love and lust. Remake of the Tamil film Naadodigal, Rangrezz is cinematographed by Santosh Sivan, who has little to work with, in the story.

The final message that the film gives is unclear and hence, too convoluted and can be misinterpreted. From beginning to end, the film is in search for an identity but fails to locate it. A mixed up narrative, poor execution and a clear attempt of a father to re-launch his son as a serious actor; Rangrezz is guilty of all charges. The Gangnam Style video at the end of the movie is the place where you can earn your money's worth.

Rating - 1.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on March 24, 2013