Agneepath (2012) Review

Saw it today at PVR Phoenix 10:30 show,it was Housefull.Movie is shot like a Hollywood Classic and personal charisma of Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan add to the over-all effect.Hrithik reminded me of Charlton Heston as in "Ben-Hur" and Sanjay Dutt reminded me of "Mogambo" from "Mr.India" and also of Anthony Hopkins from "Hannibal".Its a long film about 3 Hours 30 minutes or so.Arish Bhiwandiwala plays Vijay of childhood,and he is really wonderful here.A good portion of  first half is dedicated to Vijay's time in Mandwa and Arish excels in every scene.After a long time you hear Udit Narayan in a movie song on a major star and reminds you of his "Swadesh" days.A scene in the film where Hrithik sits on the roof reminds you much of "On the Waterfront" which it share some similarities with.Agneepath's Background music by Ajay-Atul Gogavale duo is just excellent which is always a intrinsic part in making audience feel the emotions depicted on screen.Kiran Deohans brilliant cinematography is another plus point of the movie.Art director Sabu Cyril has done a wonderful job in creating marvelous sets of village island Mandwa.The introducing scene of Hrithik treats him as a Greek God where he breaks the "Matki",his face sparkles like gold dust.

Fist half is so engrossing you never know how the Two Hours pass,second half is equally good except some cliche traces of fast-forward quality scenes and some regular stupidity found in Hindi movies and also Amitabh's famous dialogue said by Hrithik does not sound much.There's a very stupid first in a movie every time some one smokes a cigarette there is a subtitled message "Cigarette smoking is injurious to health",especially in song "Puvva Chada Ke Aayee" ,why they never show a message on bad effect of alcohol on health is another question.Audience was mostly quiet throughout the movie except some whistles now and then,at the end when audience was coming out of the theater no body was saying anything either,generally they say whether they liked or disliked it.May be because movie was so impactful and so long.In a Cinema-Hall people's reaction is so euphoric and spontaneous compared to audience who behave themselves in a multi-plex.Several people have came to see the movie with their whole family.

Katrina Kaif's eagerly awaited item number is saved till last.Mandwa island sea side locales,the den of "Kancha" Sanjay Dutt is quite haunting and very effective in creating the overall atmosphere for the scenes.Rocky mountains splashing sea waves and a Banyon Tree on the cliff where Kancha hanged Vijay's School Teacher father.Their are lots of scenes filled with blood and gore and some terribly heart rending and heart wrenching scenes,not a film to see with kids but a film to take twelve hankies to if you are a emotional sort.Zarina Wahab does well here as Hrithik's mother.Their's a classic Bollywood cliche scene done really well here of Zarina being pregnant after her husband is hanged,she goes into labour in the Mumbai red light area.Her son Vijay somehow fetches a prostitute for help who arranges for the delivery their on the road.Women folks spread out their sarees to provide cover,while Vijay tries to peep and see why his mother is shouting so much in pain.Then they bring out a baby girl and hand it to Vijay telling him its her sister.Its a joyful scene after all the mayhem and very emotional too,bound to bring tears to eyes.Also there's a very sentimental scene where Vijay is called in inside the house by his mother who had till now disapproved of his anti-social activities.He had came to leave his sister to her home and Priyanka too is along.Both come in and Zarina brings food for them.Then somehow in conversation they have disagreements,as he rises from the table he takes a "Thali" and put some food on it,then he goes out on the steps and eat the food hungrily.Priyanka comes out and he tells her between sobs and munching how he had missed his mother and her food.A real heart tugging tear-jerker of a scene. Priyanka Chopra too does well here.

Rishi Kapoor and Om Puri ably support the movie.Rish Kapoor who plays Rauf Lala Vijay's mentor at first then his enemy.Their's avery profound and funny and desperate scene in the climax where he tries to sell of Vijay's sister as a sex slave,talking in lustfilled words about her body and features etc. to lure customers and continues to do so when Vijay comes and kills of his men one by one.He continues and drives Vijay into a mad frenzy by talking dirty about his sister until Vijay  suffocates him underneath water.Rishi Kapoor really made this role worthwhile.Sachin khedekar is in a tiny ineffectual role blink and miss kind.Similarity with Shahid's "Kameenay" too could be found here.Karan Malhotra directs so well in his first film.