Movie: Laal Rang (UA)

Rating: 4.5/5

I have never enjoyed a film of this kind before to this extent: the film redefines the genre in the best possible way. Its realistic connect, well-handled and stirring emotions, highly impressive action sequences, naturally tickling humour and the message delivered by the film are some of the major reasons why the film LAAL RANG works. By the way, these are not the only reasons.

Randeep Hooda is the man who makes LAAL RANG rise even higher, as his top-notch performance will have you rooting for him totally. He has provided a great display of his Haryanvi accent, given that he comes from Haryana. His bonding with Akshay Oberoi is both realistic and heartwarming at the same time. Akshay, too scores extremely well with his performance. He performs even better than what he did in his jaw- dropping horror thriller PIZZA. Pia Bajpai is fine and decent in her character. Same for Meenakshi Dixit and Shreya Narayan. Rajneesh Duggal finally does something which is commendable. Special mention should go to the supporting cast for giving performances and breathing life into their characters.

Director Syed Ahmad Afzal does an excellent job by handling the subject extremely well. The conconcept he has presented has, believe me, never before been attempted in the history of cinema. So, it's simply the most refreshing film in terms of concept.

Each and every character is written in such a manner that all of them end up being memorable, especially Pushpendra played brilliantly by a skilled Rajendra Setiu and Shani Baba played by the hilarious Kumar Saurabh. The sequences involving the latter are simply the most hilarious as well as entertaining, especially in the second half.

Most of the sequences are commanded by our own superstar Randeep. See him emote and you'll laugh, cry and be angry along with him. His expressions in the second half are not easily portrayed by most actors. He deserved an award for this act, which he unfortunately didn't get. But our love is the highest award he can get.

Director Syed also deserves a lot of praise for maintaining a lighter tone and adding rib-tickling humour which is quite natural and ACTUALLY hilarious. He has handled many sequences extraordinarily, especially the entire pre-interval episode and the climax, including the twists and turns which are well-woven into the tale.

The action sequences too deserve a mention for they are highly impressive. Placed in a manner that most action films avoid, they give a great amount of excitement. LAAL RANG not just experiments with a different concept, but also gives hope to filmmakers willing to experiment something new without being concerned about the box office results.

This is one such film which is meant more for its audiences than the box office. It's a cult classic and highly enjoyable in each and every concept.

I must not forget to praise the music as well. It gels well with the narrative and manages to make a way straight into hearts. The editing, however is the only thing which needed to be better, especially in the first half. The romantic subplots are stretched a bit too much than needed, but the overall rendering is what makes you fully enjoy it.

You'll find yourself emotionally connected to the film in no time. You'll miss the characters and the film. I did. It has a great repeat value.

Technically, the film is a gem. I found it very relatable, since it has showcased not just Karnal, but also the city Haridwar, from where I come, in a beautiful manner. The cinematography is extraordinary, as are the other technical aspects. Another thing I mustn't forget to mention is the film never glorifies, justifies or promotes crime in any way.

LAAL RANG is the best action-crime drama film to come out in the recent years. With its fine and impressive concept supported by an even better execution and directorial vision, this film should go down into filmmaking history as one of the best films of this genre. I enjoyed it so much that I can talk about the film for hours without getting tired. One suggestion: in order to respect the hardwork of the makers as well as to enjoy the film fully, buy the DVD: original of course. This film's excellence will make you feel guilty if you've ever seen films on pirated prints.