Shanghai Review

SHANGHAI is a Hindi feature film which released on 8th June, 2012. This film has been directed by Dibakar Banerjee which falls in the genre of political thriller. This film has been produced by Ajay Bijli, Dibakar Banerjee, Priya Sreedharan and Sanjeev Bijli under the banner of PVR Films. Is it really a thriller? Read ahead the review!

Story : Dr. Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chaterjee) is going to arrive in Bharatnagar but Shalini (Kalki Koechlin) is warned by her maid/domestic help that plans were made to kill Ahmedi. But Shalini is unable to stop him. Ahmedi arrives on airports and from the same plane a film actress also gets down. A few journalist who are present there, start interviewing the film actress and simultaneously they also ask a few questions to Ahmedi but they are hardly interested in listening to his answers. All get busy in interviewing the actress. However, the film audiences come to know the honest views of Dr. Ahmedi and his objective of visiting Bharatnagar.

Thereafter, he goes to attend a public meeting. Meanwhile a few people are seen planning to kill Ahmedi. There is a tempo driver who first refuses to do so because he is afraid but his partner keeps on convincing and persuading and finally he agrees to kill Ahmedi.

His well wishers want to inform him that his life was at stake and he would be attacked anytime but in the past he has got so many threats that he would hardly care this threat. Eventually, he and Kalki go to address a public gathering.

While Ahmedi is addressing the public, you get to spot Jogi Parmar (Emraan Hashmi) as a press reporter who along with his friend tries to shoot some footage of Ahmedi and Shalini but they are asked to move away, even by Shalini.

They are moved away from police too.

As they go away, a twist comes and Ahmedi is hit by a tempo.

From here the fight of Kalki begins to seek justice and send the culprits behind the bars. She is sure that he was intentionally killed but the police or the concerned people are not ready to believe it. They say that it was a mere accident.

Finally an enquiry commission is appointed due to the efforts of Shalini and T.A. Krishnan (Abhay Deol), who is an IAS officer, becomes the head of this commission. Shalini wants to meet him personally to explain the matter but he always asks her to meet officially.

When Shalini feels that due to lack of evidence, the case was not moving into the right direction, she goes to seek the help of Jogi who makes porn films at night. Shalini reminds him that since he was shooting at that time when Ahmedi was hit, he must be having some useful footage.

But the actual footage remains with Jogi's partner who is later killed brutally just because he had the tape and even Jogi is indirectly threatened that if he does not mend his ways he too would be killed in the same way.

But despite everything, Kalki belief compels him to help her. On the other hand, Krishnan inquires all the concerned officials and one by one he goes on noticing points which proved that there was foul play in Ahmedi's death. Seeing that he was moving ahead towards the truth, he is suggested by ministers and even indirectly warned to close the case stating hit and run case. But he doesn't listen to them.

Finally, putting his life at risk, Jogi finds out the evidence tape and they show the footage to Krishnan and others which brings a twist.

What is the twist? Who got Ahmedi killed? What happens to Shalini and Jogi are some questions answered in the remaining part of the film.

Acting : Emraan Hashmi has done his job brilliantly. In fact he has done his best role till date. He has justified the character of press reporter so well that you will forget all his rubbish roles of serial kisser, which he has done in the past. Abhay Deol is also good. He fits into the role of IAS so much that a time comes when you start feeling that he is really an IAS officer. He had done his job brilliantly. Kalki has also acted very well. From the very beginning she looks afraid which she has maintained till last. From her expression you can make out how that she is really angry, afraid and struggling to seek justice. Supriya Pathak has got very less footage, yet she had done her role perfectly well. Farooq Sheikh has done impressive job. Tina Roy dances well in her item song.

Script : Dibakar Banerjee and Urmi Juvekar have written the script on the famous novel-Z by Vassilis Vassilikos. The thought of the film is good which portrays our system but the screenplay has not been written so well that you get satisfaction. However, the writers have tried to portray the working style of IAS officers which the audience would like.

Music : Music directors Vishal-Shekhar have done brilliant job. Background music as well as both the songs are good. Both the songs such as 'Imported Kamariya' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' are pleasant to hear and you can play them a few times.

Cinematography : Camerawork by Nikos is not up to the mark. There are some blurred pictures which go against the film. You will also witness some shaky movements of camera, which are panned so fast from one character to another that you would get headache if done frequently. But thank God that only few such moments are there. However, some scenes are shot very well.

Choreography : The song 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' has been choreographed very well, as per the need of the situation. The movements of Emraan Hashmi are very good. 'Imported Kamariya' choreography is also okay, but its audio is much better than the visuals.

Editing : Editing of the film is okay!

Direction : Direction of the film is not so impressive. Though Dibakar Banerjee has given hit films in a row, he hasn't succeeded in making the same kind of film as he made earlier. Till interval he has dragged just one matter which bores you a lot and which becomes pakaooooo too. It is good that he has shown the struggle of Kalki to seek justice but pre interval you don't get anything more to watch. Her ideal Dr. Ahmed is killed by a tempo and she believes that it was not an accident but murder. And she keeps struggling to seek justice. And what Emraan is doing? Except shooting some footage and some porn pictures (which are deleted by the censor board) he does nothing to help Kalki which is worth mentioning here.

Even after interval, the director drags the same matter till Abhay Deol finds some new developments and till the entry of Supriya Pathak, who asks him to stop investigation and get into some other business. The director has not paid attention to the visuals of the film. Most of the visuals are not pleasing. However, shots of 'morcha' and 'naarebaaji' and chase sequences are shot well. The director has tried to create some humor when press interview actress and Dr. Ahmedi simultaneously and he has succeeded in creating humor of high quality.

Plus Points : Music;

Minus Points : Boring; Not Thrilling; Poor Visuals

Conclusion : Though this film has been made on a famous novel, the adaptation is not so well and it is quite dragging. Though it falls in the genre of Political Thriller, it doesn't appear to be a thriller. There are thrills in parts. Remaining portion of the film not so fast and thrilling! You know 'who' and 'why' and wait for something new which you don't get and the film ends abruptly.

Box Office Predictions: Due to big names involved with this film, it can attract some audiences but it seems difficult to become huge hit or blockbuster.

Verdict : The film is not bad but it is not even thriller! The content of the film is good but you have watched all these lot of times. You can watch it once in theatre or wait for satellite release!