Sanket’s Review: Gunday is fun but too long

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Arjun kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Saurabh Shukla, Irrfan Khan
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Length: 150 minutes approx

In childhood, you must have heard stories, as childish and clichéd there were, and you used to enjoy them. The writers of GUNDAY seem to be fascinated with those stories to materialize it on screen. GUNDAY is as predictable as a daily soap episode. The twists and turns can be guessed from miles away. Yet, there is something that lights the momentum up. And that is the frivolity spread in the film throughout despite knowing the inherent plot of the film is utterly weak. The director never lets a lack of story be spoilsport factor because one never misses the energy in GUNDAY. It is a said thing that the film is all about heroism and thus if one cannot recognize the film’s inner-most sentiment, then he is bound to give up on the film in first few reels.

So the story, if we can call that, is very keenly processed. First 15-20 minutes we are served with two young boys warming up for an exhilarating life experience. And they quite easily chose to emerge as goons. They are so unabashed and unapologetic that crushes every path comes their way. GUNDAY is fast and tight in first 45 minutes. Couple of energetic songs, one hilarious bathroom scene, the heroic shots at our protagonists, the traditional entry of a cop- all falls in place as easily as a ball places itself on ground once its bounced. But as soon as one realized that the film is trying sail on just gimmicks and goofiness, one loses interest. The love triangle in first hour is majorly repetitive and the humor never really finds a laugh. Although the intermission point marks a promise for a happening second hour.

Unlike many other films, GUNDAY doesnt sink post-intermission. In-fact, the pace is evenly positive at places. But the unwarranted songs and their poor picturization serve as speed-bumps in the narrative. The whole drama slips noticeably. But the film benefits heavily from last half hour that holds you and touches you at places.

GUNDAY’s music is partially impressive. The energetic numbers like “Jashn-e-ishqa” “Asalum-e-ishqum” “Tune maari entriaan” are fantastic and they pretty much comes as welcome distraction in first hour. But the songs that falls in second hour are boring. The dialogue writer deserves a special mention. His dialogues are worth hooting for. The director who earlier made that enjoyable “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan” knows his art and that is why GUNDAY is watchable despite zero story in it.

Ranveer Singh is pretty good barring couple of hammed scenes. He plays his role pretty much in sync with film’s total texture. Arjun kapoor plays an impulsive goon which is reflective of what he has done in his first two films. He is ordinary in his work as he exerts more energy than what is demanded. Priyanka Chopra scintillates in dance numbers. Although her acting isn’t affective at all except that one scene where she bursts out to Arjun Kapoor’s character. Irrfan shows how experience can gain a film. He is terrific as the humorous cop.

GUNDAY is long by atleast 15 minutes, thanks to the songs in second hour and repetitive attempt to evoke laughs in first half. But yet all said and done, its more enjoyable than many films under this Masala genre. Don’t expect much, and you surely will have fair amount of fun.

Rating – 2.5/5