Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep HoodaDirector: Milan Luthria
Producer: Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Rating: ***1/2
An amalgamation of mafia thriller with a backdrop of the era of the '70s, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai refreshes the changing phase of Mumbai in the seventies. The power struck hungry Indian youth then, ready to tread on a fast track of success by dipping all their five fingers into Mumbai underworld from crime and smuggling unto the connection with Bollywood, opens through the eyes of a police officer played by Randeep Hooda.
The rise of Sultan (Ajay Devgn), coming from a coal background showcases his hate rate for the black colour on one hand while on the other hand, his tender heart that is always ready to lend a helping hand to the needy. The character can be related to anyone in real life, existing then, belonging to the underworld. Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), the angry young man supported by Sultan, unhesitatingly craves to be the supremo of the underworld and in the bargain stains his hands with the murder of Sultan to rule the underbelly of the underworld. And hence, a Don is born, yet to be traced by the Mumbai police.
Direction: Owing to the retro look – the moustaches, side locks, bell bottoms to the hair style and the sun glasses, especially of the two main lead Kangna and Prachi Desai, the film will surely take you down the memory lane. Canning scenes at the docks, the Mumbai sea and the other mushy Mumbai locations give one a real feel of the past. Nonetheless, the director has kept up to the contemporary vision too. A thriller with entertaining drama leaves no thought untouched – a reality woven into fiction indeed! But that's where all movies come from! A good attempt. Director Milan Luthria has left no stone unturned to have worked on the era of the seventies, and for that he surely deserves a pat on the back.
Looks: Ajay has played the role of Sultan to perfection and has carried the character impressively. More than anything else, his eyes narrate the depth of the character with great appeal. Kudos to the man! Kangna, the glamorous babe of the '70s, looks ravishing and has done justice to her role. Prachi Desai with her etiquettes of a simple and serene girl has tried her best to keep up to the level of the naughty Emraan. With her screen appearance, she spreads ample amount of freshness. Randeep Hooda is meticulous as a police officer. And last but not the least, Emraan, with his lust for money, fame and his beloved, fits his character to the T.
Music: The title song Pee loon has already topped the charts. But apart from that, Pritam really does not have anything new to offer. You will have to sit through the Monica number, featuring Gauhar Khan.
Editing: A little doctoring in editing, with sharpness, could have made the film look more sleek. Cinematography shows some efforts in its work.
All in all, Once Upon A time... brings a changing phase in the filmdom. A must watch film that unveils the birth of murky underworld operations in the city of dreams – Mumbai.
By Lipika Varma / Sanskriti Media & Entertainment
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