Anurag Kashyap makes only dark cinema. He makes characters who gives gaalis in every alternate sentence. His films are complicated. His ideas are confusing. His films don't make money. Time for all these notions to be flushed down the drain. Manmarziyaan is a film which has head and heart- and if you still find it confusing or misplaced, you need to get your head and heart both examined.
Confidence, thy other name Taapsee Pannu. You can't say 'There's something about this girl', I did that galti se sometime back to her. This girl has everything about her. Watch her in the scene where she orders Abhishek to pour a drink for her without uttering a single word. Watch her in the scene where she walks into Vicky's home and despite a massive fret, cannot resist his overtures- the change in her facial expression has to be noted. Watch her when she tells Vicky 'Gaadi roko' and then scalds him. The list is long. Just one scene where she breaks down on her knees big time, I though that she could have done slightly better.
Vicky Kaushal And Taapsee Pannu In Manmarziyaan
Vicky Kaushal gets into yet another avatar, and once again comes up with a performance which makes you more confused as to which one has been his best till date. Watch him dance with gay abandon in circles around Taapsee walking angrily on the streets (Reminiscent what Makrand Deshapande did in that opening song of Swades). Watch him in the scene where he is speedily driving away and so frustrated as if his head will burst. This list is not short either; Daddy Shyam Kaushal might have put on weight by now, happiness overloaded.
So, does the film falter at any point? No, it does not falter. It just slackens in pace a bit at couple of points. A little somewhere before Abhishek Bachchan's entry. A little towards the end.
Abhishek Bachchan And Taapsee Pannu In Manmarziyaan
Abhishek has always had class written all over him and this time he leaves unerasable impressions. Watch him in the scene where he catches Taapsee and Vicky red-handed. Watch him when he loses it on Taapsee and says 'You make me feel sic'. Watch him in all the scenes where he and Taapsee stay in the same room but barely talk. This list is also long.
The production values are beauts (as they say in Gen X language). So thank you Anurag. And, thank you Aanand L Rai for that.
A Still From The Movie Manmarziyaan
Frankly, Manmarziyaan is a film which Gen X will identify with rather quickly. The rest of the audience also will, we are surrounded by the youth and it's only few times (while they may think, it's many) that we are sitting on the other side of the fence (A very important line by Bachchan Junior in the film: Discussion is good).
So yeah, unlike always, this time I did not dwell much on even the characters; I would have only ended up spoiling your fun as you would have joined the dots to learn the story. Why don't you just book your ticket for this weekend, man? Nobody can stop you. It's your Manmarziyaan!
I am going with THREE-and-HALF.
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