Panga (2020)

I watched the movie through Hotstar UK subscription and I was highly impressed by Kangana Ranaut's strong acting. However, the story plot was not much interesting and predictable too. It can be improved but ultimately it conveys the message of the struggle faced by star Kabbaddi Captain. Music is also average.

The rules of entertainment are altering rapidly because Hindi movie heroine is now being looked up with strengths, shortcomings, mistakes and achievements. She is ready to conduct experiments, equipped to explore uncharted lands. This holds for Kangana Ranaut, one of the most talented actresses of our time. The famous actress has persistently paved the way vis-a-vis her choice of movies. Also, director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari needs no introduction. With her debut film Nil Battey Sannata (2016), she had the audience sit up and take notice of her work. Panga, her latest offering, once again has you, as an audience, asking a question. Honestly, women's stories are not really exemplified conscientiously since Bollywood is branded for creating movies from a male perspective. But the souk of women-centric flicks is quickly turning out to be a bankable genre. Panga is a commanding tale, has an authoritative central character, has several dominant and thought-provoking moments, making it an all-persuasive film.

Panga is thought-provoking, articulate and clear. It brings the subject to light but Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari neither imposes her opinion on the audience nor do her characters. Each actor extends his or her arm within the ambit of their circumstances, never once attempting to go beyond it. That's the brilliance of this film. This is Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's trademark. She is like the music conductor who knows the symphony like the palm of her hand and directs every actor with the delicate swish of her experienced baton. Of course, the film is built on the classic theme that a talented athlete has a dream to place at the top of the stool at the big international tournaments, where the road to it is not just straightforward but full of bumps and dents that need to be forced, which puts both the psyche and the physics to a hard test. And then, of course, it turns out in the end that iron willpower can pave the way for the dream to come true. The director does manage to make an extremely worthwhile and quite entertaining film, packed with both dramatic and exciting moments.

It is absolutely amazing to experience how camera movement (Jay I. Patel), editing (Ballu Saluja), music (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) and other technical aspects of Panga blend together to form a cinematic experience that, in terms of quality, rises to a level where the entertainment value is of an entirely exceptional character. In terms of action, Panga is fantastic storytelling, where the story writers (Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Nikhil Mehrotra) have managed to convey a story through the visual media to an unparalleled degree and turned it into a gripping, captivating, educational and uplifting and one of a kind experience. The film in many areas is also deeply touching. Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari ensures that Panga retains its individuality and doesn't come across as a replica/clone of other immensely likeable films with sports drama as the backdrop. In fact, her handling of several light moments as well as dramatic ones is exemplary. With the skills of a master storyteller, she amalgamates a human story in a truly striking and attention-grabbing format. There is a certain uninhibited genuineness in Ashwiny's direction. Besides, the additional screenplay by Nitesh Tiwari is outstanding; one seldom witnesses such aptitude and deliberation to specifications. Without doubt, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari gives it her best shot with gleaming sincerity. There are a few hiccups, but not the type that really go against the film. However, the climax is the highpoint of this enterprise. Also, fragments of tongue in cheek humour pop up when you least anticipate to liven up the solemn plot.

The admiration for Kangana Ranaut has scaled woozy altitudes and let me affirm, the supremely talented actress delivers a performance that's at par with her former accomplishments. She re-evaluates screen acting in Panga. She arrives with yet another enlivening, commanding character in this film and her portrayal is sure to win laurels by assessors and cine-goers uniformly. Her body language, her confidence, her vulnerability, her fury, her grief, all fall upon wonderfully. Jassie Gill is a revelation. What a tremendous actor. His sequences with Kangana are truly wonderful. Neena Gupta proves yet again that she's an exceptional performer. She makes a stunning impact. Richa Chadha is, as always, efficient. She exhibits good screen presence and holds her ground firmly, despite Kangana's towering performance. She is exactly what the highly ranked coaches are made up of. Yagya Bhasin stands out with a terrific portrayal. He's is exceptional. Way to go, boy! Megha Burman shines as the young Kabbadi player.

On the whole, Panga raises questions, challenges the age-old customs and mirrors a reality most convincingly. A brilliant film embellished with bravura performances. The highs and lows, the triumphs and failures, the laughter and heartbreak… you smile, you laugh, you weep, you cheer, you feel ecstatic… Panga encompasses it all adroitly, with the finale leaving you exhilarated. Don’t miss it for anything in the world. A film that deserves an ovation!