New Delhi: Debutant director Sanamjit Talwar unnecessarily complicates the gangster flick with layer after layer of characterisation. Sinister characters, desperately in need to bathe, keep popping up and popping off for no other reason except to remind us that the world of Mumbai`s gangsterism has not changed much from the time when Ram Gopal Varma made "Satya".But while in "Satya" we genuinely cared for the sanguinary characters, here in "Dishkiyaoon", we are too tired of the trigger-happy marauders to give a flying f**k about whether they live or die.
The dark menacing characters all look like carryovers from Varma`s "Satya" and "Company" trying hard to shield their jadedness in a revved up revivified swagger which only helps to accentuate their frozen renewability.
The characters` hands remain soaked in the same blood as "Satya", no matter how hard the script tries to cover their bloodied track with streaks of cosmetic conceit. Try as it might the narration`s worn-out edges stick out of the sleekly-designed format.
The film is very stylishly packaged with some ear-catching background music (Amar Mohile) and cinematography (Axel Fischer) that fuses colour and black-and-white in a hide `n` seek with time.
Sad to say the impressive colour scheme lacks clarity consistence and logic. Much like the film which rambles on about the relationship between crime and comeuppance but doesn`t offer us one reason to believe that these characters deserve our attention.
What redeems the film`s inherently fagged-out storytelling are the actors.
Prashant Narayanan as Harman`s mentor, Sumeet Nijhawan as a crime lord who doesn`t use a gun and specially Anand Tiwari as a hot-headed goon, turn in implosive performances that ignite the frames when the director is taken up with intensifying the layering process.
Sunny Deol`s Haryanvi accent is as distracting as Harman`s moustache.
But the young actor has returned to the screen with the language of languidity lending an aura of urgent doom to the goings-on. Newcomer Ayesha Khanna has a brief but effective part as the guitar-playing musician who wonders if she and the world around her would ever be compatible.
Watching 'Dishkiyaaoon' we are faced by the same dilemma. While we warm up to the film`s performances and its intelligent take on gangsterism, the constant barrage of slaying and screaming leave us cold.
Subhash K.Jha
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.