Is director Anurag Kashyap really on a path of transformation? In his latest release Manmarziyaan, he has switched from the usual grisly setup to lighter romance. He has submitted to another writer—something that is rare in his filmmaking career. His last Mukkabaaz was billed as a film on aspiring boxers. He transformed it into a love story, making extensive changes to the story premise. Letting someone else take charge of the writing has given him more mind space, Kashyap said a few months back.
The writing credit of Manmarziyaan, set in Amritsar, goes to Kanika Dhillon (script, dialogues and screenplay). Watching the film, you know that Kashyap is having fun, with the pressure of detailing off his back. His trademarks are strewn all over—in the form of street dancers, twin sisters, and quirky songs composed by Amit Trivedi, which are as intrinsic to the story as the plot itself. Yet, it is distinct in its attempts to figure out what love means today, and the mechanics of internal conflict.
At the centre of Manmarziyaan is an in-form Taapsee Pannu's Rumi. She portrays her character—replete with the insecurities of a young, orphaned girl brought up in a joint family—sincerely. Amidst all the confusion and emotional manipulation, she is bold and feisty. A pointer though—a bold female character doesn’t necessarily have to be loud, brash and complicated.
Rumi is in a volatile relationship with Vicky (Vicky Kaushal), an aspiring, clueless DJ—the cool guy in town. You watch the actor, who has had a great year so far, in reverence. He is impulsive, saying some of the inanest stuff you’d expect from a boyfriend. But the beauty of his performance is the variability he brings to the character; he even harnesses moments of quietude to great effect. In one scene, he stands outside Rumi’s house in dharna; he speaks very less, and his body language shines through.
Their relationship is driven more by passion than emotion. They are not sure what they want. They communicate, but in vain. They introspect, also in vain. The premise becomes interesting because there’s no opposition from family because of caste or class. The nemesis is their inner conflict, which we partly witnessed in Kashyap’s earlier Dev D.
Like in most films with a similar template (Hum Dil Chuke Sanam, Tanu Weds Manu), the wild card is a third guy; here, he is an NRI who is ready to settle for an arranged marriage. Abhishek Bachchan’s Robbie plays the part in Manmarziyaan. A banker in London, he takes calculated approaches in life, as he does in his profession. In this case, he falls for a girl, fully aware of her temperament. There’s little scope for Bachchan to perform here, but, within the limitations, he does it well. His character mostly looks like an extension of his real-life persona—suave and immaculate.
But then, the story would have fallen apart had it not been for the balance he brings amidst the chaos, the constant music (which can be distracting at times), and the repetitive unpredictability that drives Rumi and Vicky.
This is a messy love story. But the director, in his attempt to uncomplicate things, renders the film a tad-bit predictable. But as the title suggest, manmarziyaan; As he wishes.
Manmarziyaan
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Abhishek Bachchan
Rating: 3/5