Critiqued: Ghanchakkar

Indie films seem to be making their foray into mainstream Indian cinema these days. In the past, roles in indie films were played by little known actors. But times are changing and so are people's tastes. Not to mention the fact that actors themselves are getting bolder about the roles they play. Aamir Khan backed Delhi Belly may have had something to do with this phenomena, but nowadays we also see big named artists willing to grace the big screen with relatively unknown directors or story tellers.

 

If you are looking for an off track film that is filled with laughs, twists and turns, you might consider watching Ghanckakkar. Don't be put off by the name because it showcases Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan in the lead roles. You are not going to find a multi-million dollar, item number and fantasy filled feature here, just a plain and realistic portrayal of a couple who may or may not be involved in questionable activities. It has to be mentioned that this is not an independent film, has big financiers backing it, but it entirely feels like one.

 

Ghanchakkar is a film that takes its time in developing the story and climactically ends while making the viewer wonder the entire time if something else is about to take place. And while there aren't too many characters in the story, special mention does go out to Vidya Balan as the portly Punjabi housewife obsessed with her fashion magazines and Namit Das who plays one of the antagonists of the film with quite the comic flair. There isn't anything mind blowing about the film to be watched in the theaters, but if you are looking for an entertaining time, you might just want to catch this flick.

Our Rating: