Rangrezz

Starring: Jacky Bhagnani, Priya Anand
Directed by Priyadarshan
Rating: *

Rangrezz shows how a fine film (in this case Samuthirakani’s Naadodigal) can be remade into utter mess and muddle. Priyadarshan relocates the story to his notion of the North, or is it the West? It’s his brand of a colour-coordinated la-la land, the kind where in heavy downpour we find a red umbrella standing out in a sea of black ones. How many times will we keep seeing similar ima­gery in his films? There is no sense of rootedness to the story—a hallmark of the original. No wonder the flavour, setting, lingo, people, all feel wrong. The story is about three good-hearted friends helping the fourth in marrying his sweetheart. They go through a lot, only to find themselves being let down by the couple. It all leads up to a climax that is regressive, about the difference bet­ween love and lust. The action is disjointed and the loudness grates, especially Lushin Dubey as a politician mother, who talks in a curious Laluspeak. Dia­logues have words like “vyabhichaar” thrown in, which hardly anyone uses and the songs and dances are shoved in for the heck of it, rat­her for the toilet breaks. And why did Bhagnani buy the rights of Gangnam Style? The song plays in the end credits; by then the audience is too bored to wait and watch.