Movie Review: 'Bombay Velvet' Yawn-athon all along!

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Vivaan Shah, Kay Kay Menon, Karan Johar, Satyadeep Misra, Siddharth Basu

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Rating: * 1/2

Well, Bombay Velvet was Anurag Kashyap`s most ambitious project. But to my dismay, Anurag who has delivered some excellent piece of work in the past has come down to this underwhelming film. The film does not satisfy the hunger of the audience, however the film is a visual treat and the larger than life sets, undoubtedly take you to backto the 50-60`s era.

The film may come as a fake diamond to you. It might shine bright on the outside but it crumbles down to pieces of glass. It is based on Gyan Prakash`s book Mumbai Fables and set in early 1950`s towards 1970`s, before Mumbai became a metropolis.

The film is about Balraj (Ranbir Kapoor) a young lad who comes to the city of dreams, Bombay with his foster mother. His mother works as a prostitute to win the bread for herself and her foster son. As Balraj is coping up with the his life he make a friend Chiman ( Satyadeep Misra) a pick pocketer . Balraj dreams of becoming a top shot some day, courtesy English Classic films he grew up watching.

Prakash who has written the original novel has also done scriptwriting for the film. A lot is going on in the first half of the film, we can witness a race amongst the owners of Mills, Newspaper barons, businessmen politicians to get the supreme power over the city Bombay.

Balraj indulges into street fights to make more money and in the process he gets his eyes on a Jazz singer Rosie (Anushka Sharma) with whom he instantly falls in love with. Rosie who earns her living by singing and pleasuring a newspaper editor (Manish Choudhary) Jimmy Mistry.

Anurag has twisted the story extensively and adding too many characters and situations made the film slightly heavy for the audience to digest. As the prime focus of the film remains on Balraj but there are too many characters in the film. Just like the saying too many cooks spoil the broth, here it is too many characters confuses the audience.

It is that time when Balraj and Chiman are trying their luck at becoming a big shot they encounter Kaizad Khambatta (Karaj Johar) Kaizad gives wings to Bajraj`s dream. And also gives him a new name Johnny! Now as he has the money now Balraj and Rosie love story also takes off.

However, Rosie is plotted in Balraj`s life by Jimmy as he wants to expose Kaizad and his cheat tactics which he is using to mint money. Will Balraj find out? Is Rosie in love or will she betray Johnny?

Will Johnny become a big shot? Well, the film is all about love, betrayal, money, power and everything else that takes to make a big shot.

Nevertheless talking about the cast Ranbir Kapoor is a talented actor, but some how he seems to intense in the film and it might not please you much. Though his character of Johnny Balraj is of a mad, aggressive man and Ranbir has done justice to his character.

Anushka Sharma as Rosie is pretty to watch but her puckering lips can not let you see anything else. Her weird expressions and her huge lips are the center of attraction when ever she is on screen. Karan Johar as Kaziad Khambatta comes out quite strong. It seems he didn`t have to do much for the character, he seems to be his usual self all along the movie (Not to forget his kinky style). Last but not the least gorgeous Raveena Tandon in the a cameo for two songs is bedazzling.

The film has a pinch of humour in Kjo`s character and the orientation of his sexuality. There are few oneliners like `Rosie mein aisa kya hai jo mujhmein nahi hai`, or the kinky tone when he renames Balraj as Johnny. Other than this the dialogues of the film are pretty flat and fail to leave an impression.

There is not much in the film that you may miss out on. The art director has done a stupendous job and this movie can however be considered as one of the best periodic film when it comes to the sets. Amit Trivedi`s music does full justice to the film and helps the movie travel back in the 60`s era.

Apparently the film does take you back to the bygone years, Bombay Velvet the club appears enamor. The costumes, the presentation, seems like a visual treat for the audience. But this film is only restricted to Ranbir, Anurag or anushka fans. My verdict one and a half star.