Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, and Disha Patani
Director: Mohit Suri
Rating: 3/5
The much-hyped Malang, which hit screens today, is a fairly engaging action-thriller that packs a punch, satisfying the target audience. The film revolves around the exploits of three ruthless men and highlights the cruel way in which fate brings them together. The basic plot is quite simple and does not offer anything fresh or unconventional. It, however, makes an impact nonetheless due to the sincere writing. The screenplay relies heavily on 'showing' and this helps it strike a chord with the audience.
The first half, which begins with an intense action scene, sets the tone for what is to follow, serving its purpose quite well. The intense interrogation sequence is arguably its biggest highlights and has a strong recall value. Similarly, most of the other scenes involving Anil Kapoor too have come out well, adding a new dimension to his character. The same can be said about the adrenaline pumping pre-interval block.
On the flip side, the romantic scenes involving Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani do not have any depth as their chemistry lacks the 'X factor'.
The post-interval portions are quite gripping and have an emotional connect. The sequences involving Kunal Kemmu, in particular, are quite unexpected and change the dynamics of Malang. The climax, however, is not as gripping as it lacks 'shock value'.
Coming to the performances, Aditya is quite sincere but lacks the raw intensity needed to do justice to his character.
Anil emerges as the proverbial scene-stealer in Malang and proves that he has 'still got it'. Disha is adequate and ups the glam quotient when needed. Kunal, however, proves to be a surprise package to the film and impresses with his spot-on expressions. That said and done, he would have made a stronger impact had the character been fleshed out better.
The music is one of the biggest high points of Malang with the title track leaving fans spellbound. The background score fails to elevate the action, indicating that it is one of the drawbacks.The cinematography is top-notch giving Malang an urban feel. The other technical departments have been handled rather competently.