Gangs of Wasseypur- Treatment takes prime seat, script and plot hackneyed
Some movies much before their release grabs all the attention, either for the director's repertoire, or for an unusual reason (like a Sunny Leone and Jism 2) or for a remake or a sequel (Agneepath, Jannat 2 etc.). This one grabbed for the director and for the plot that he decided to choose. And probably more than the plot the setting of the movie. We have had Kala Pathaar in the past, but trust Anurag and his team to get more into the realistic mode and portray the region in it's harsh, unforgiving and a little sleepy coal belt of India. Though the opening credits clearly states the film was not shot at actual location, Wasseypur.
What Anurag has done (I thought that was secondary) with the movie, focused too much on the treatment, the style, the expletives and the peripheral aspect of movie making, but what I thought missed out on a clear plot or to state more specifically a script. We did hear across several quarters of a rising and simmering tension between two warring factions in the coal fields of Dhanbad and that is about it. Beyond that nothing much really comes out. Is it a normal gansta film, with a different style and element to itself, has the setting changed from the dark and ugly bylanes and slums of Mumbai to Wasseypur, a big YES. The language, locale, culture and perhaps the overall approach might have changed, but Anurag clearly never had a well defined plot. To say the least and the cliched line, Old Wine in New Bottle.
For someone who is not accustomed to the customs, dialects and the ways of Eastern UP (Poorvanchal), Bihar and Bengal-Bihar the movie will be queer, quirky, definitely funny (a very Guy Ritchie approach, remember his Snatch and Brad Pritt, perhaps his most memorable film to me) and very dark. That is where the movie scores probably, with an authentic approach. Loads of cuss words, expletives and the sweetened approach of it. It doesn't sound harsh on the ears, however not a music too. Unfortunately, beyond that the film doesn't score at all. Whatever happened to the script or a plot as they say. The opening sequence had a prequel to it, which is what GOW part 1 is all about. But the film tackles too many subjects and issues and loses the plot in the first 30-40 minutes itself. Shahid Khan and his rivalry with Ramadhir Singh never comes out (except for one casual and surprisingly a casual banter that Ramadhir overhears of Shahid nursing a secret desire to rule the coal belts, very tame and very shallow- considering the hype of GOW), which I thought should have been the mainstay of the film and perhaps the trickle down effect of it on Shahid's son, Sardar (The classic hindi movie potboilers atleast had the father or mother being killed by the villain in front of the son(s)). But this one, never really got built up. From there on it is one hell of a journey with blood, blood and loads of gore. It is war, caste war, religion war, gang war, territorial war, family war and just war and the film loses itself in the war, which had so much of a potential to come out of it.
Ok, what are the pluses, the style, treatment and the setting of the film stands out. Shot through Varanasi and parts of stock footage, the film stands out for it's cinematography and brilliant capture of the rustic region. Acting is first rate with Tigmanshu standing out tall and clear (where was he and what was he doing behind the camera, all these years!). Pankaj Tripathi, Piyush Mishra and Richa Chadda are first rate too. Jaideep Ahlawat was good in parts, nothing much to explore. But one big miss was Manoj Bajpai. he had the role of a lifetime to prove his caliber, but was very tame. His duality of character was important, the blood thirsty, revenge seeking outcast to the tame, docile and ever so giving into husband (to both his wife and the mistress). Never came out! Sad! What he did with Bhiku Mhatre or Veerendra Pratap (Rajneeti), simply superb, he let's go this huge opportunity he had and for a role cut out for him. Nawazuddin, we are yet to "see" of him, atelast GOW 1 he had nothing much, except a pot smoking intense character with a past (troubled childhood might not be the right word).
Music is good and stands out as the protagonist throughout the film. But the background score was a let down. They never really gelled.
Some moments that stand out and traces of vintage Anurag Kashyap, the opening sequence with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the Kasam Paidaa Karne Wale Ki promo and Sardar's threat to Ramadhir in the backdrop, the crime scene investigation at the butcher house by the local cop, Yashpal Sharma singing Salaame Ishq in male and female voice (this is something, who has grown in this part of the world will only resonate) and the stabbing by Sardar with the ice cutter, the classic Anurag.
But, Anurag, I will still hold Black Friday against you, perhaps you need to look at the movie once more, and perhaps why we all still go back with so much anticipation to the first day first show.
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