Vishal Bhardwaj gives us a film that’s enjoyable and relevant in equal measure. I’m going with four out of five for Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. The year’s first gem has arrived – don’t miss it!

This is a film that goes far out on a limb, and gives us both bedlam and nuances, enough to warrant repeated viewings. And more than enough to love. Oh boy oh boy indeed.

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola is marked by an adventurous streak that is commendable: Bhardwaj pushes the goofy storytelling style all the way through to the bitter end. It is another matter that the strategy boomerangs frequently.

This movie could have been so much more. Like champagne gone flat, the film’s left lying about for too late, its plot meandering everywhere.

If you’re a Vishal Bhardwaj fan, be prepared for a fare that’s different from his dark, moody style. The fun and songs should keep you going though.

But the film crumbles in the climax, giving you an end that is too filmy for satisfaction. The end is one that bars Vishal’s latest from becoming an exceptional effort. For everything else it is worth, this is the first real whopper coming out of Bollywood this year. Go for it.

As a social commentary, the film succeeds only intermittently, and is not as complex and effective as last year’s Shanghai. There are other ambiguous points in the film. But here’s the thing: you ought to watch the film.

I don’t mind a serious film, I don’t mind socio-politics, I don’t mind satire, I certainly don’t mind quirky, dark humor. What I don’t get though is why a film can’t pick one or two of these themes and stick to it through and through – be there, build-up on it and end like the makers believed in what they were making, without any external pressures.