Formula isn't necessarily a bad thing if executed with keenness. Writer-director Subhash Kapoor breathes in a new lease of life to formula fluff and brings forth an eminent watchable quality to Guddu Rangeela. Kapoor's writing gives the movie its exuberance. It might not be close to the year's best scripted movies as far the potency of the plot goes, but Kapoor gets the concoction of a commercial entertainer right. Adding to the concept, just the correct amount of soul, layering it with sparkling dialogues and sucking out the best performances from his actors, the filmmaker earns the emotions he is able to evoke from his audience.
The director's Sholay references are unmissable. There is the iconic bike, the banter between the two, the rustic setting but mostly it is the characterization of its male leads that seems borrowed from Salim-Javed's material.
And still, the best way to describe this film would be to call it half-a-dose of fun. It had soul but the impact wore out due to weak screenplay. By the time I returned back from the interval, with my popcorn reloaded, it felt as if I had walked into a weaker picture.
Riding on an inconsistent plot, which loses focus sooner than it should have, Kapoor battles valiantly the wobbly parts of his story.
At no point are these discrepancies enough to distract you. This engaging quality that the film is able to maintain for a large part of its runtime makes it winsome. Kapoor, in dull moments, allows us to savour a joke or two. When he plunges into the sappy territory, he ensures he is brief. And in its bright times, he keeps the tempo high. The drama runs down in its second half, getting diluted by the scene at times. It is his fascinating actors Ronit Roy and Arshad Warsi then who rise up to the occasion and the salvage the film.
Dabbling with the idea of khap pachayats and the psychosis of honour killings, the film fails to tackle these issues with adequate seriousness. The focus that shifts to it becoming a revenge drama more than a social drama, exposing the weakness in Kapoor's vision. It doesn't have the same zing as Jolly LLB, its sharp bent clearly missing. Three people gang up against a local goon for their own reasons doesn't suffice in conjuring up a strong enough spectacle, missing the larger connect with its theme. His case for women empowerment doesn't register either because the film doesn't bloom beyond being a classic bromance. His female characters lack both flesh and substance, not to mention screen space.
But Subhash's weaknesses cannot be held against him as he invests whole heartedly in giving his cine goers a truly delightful time. The spunk of his words render its share of momentary fun. But what is unforgettable about this movie, is its performances. Arshad Warsi gives his character a striking personality - honest, strong, righteous, protective and blunt. His caliber is what makes Rangeela stand out. Outshining him is Ronit Roy, who is dangerously brilliant. And though Amit barely had a chance to equal either, he holds his ground with confidence. The women Aditi and Shriswara put in their best to add more meat to their poorly written roles, but add little to the narrative.
Guddu Rangeela has a lot going in its favour but its over simplistic approach in dealing with a raging topic and wrapping it up in gory, gimmicky climax is hardly what one would have expected from this film. Though I have never been a believer in the fact that cinema can bring about a change per se, given Bollywood's legacy of catering to the masses who perceive it more as a song-and-dance business, but since Subhash Kapoor's reputation precedes him, better was expected out of this fare. Instead, we are left to gorge more on funny lines than ponder about the grotesqueness of khap rulings.
The Haryanvi humour which finally debuts in all its pomp and show in this film, remains integral to the writing and comes off brilliantly on screen. Ronit and Arshad's face-off gets a funny spin and it is just fair to credit the director for being able to bring about that palpability to his scenes. The wicked thinking Subhash surprises us with treats like the brilliant antakshri scene which plays out gratifyingly.
The film's cinematography deserves a special mention. The locations chosen fit the scene right and the shots are gorgeous at places. There is a point in the climax where Ronit and Arshad point guns at each other before dropping it down and engaging in a fistfight. It is an alluring shot.
Guddu Rangeela is half-baked but is well-intentioned. It is predictable but emotional. The broad strokes might be
hiccupy but the sheer effort of putting together something different is always worth applauding. The film nullifies its cons with its abundant plusses and though it is flawed, it is an assuaging watch.
We rate the film a 70% on the Pinkvilla meter.
