• Shashwat Sisodia
    Shashwat Sisodia
    300 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    7

    Anurag Kashyap surely knows how to pull off a rags-to-riches story, and this film is an evidence- or may I say, yet another evidence? If looked at a close, the story of 'Gangs of Wasseypur' to comes off as such a genuine and strong underdog film, of an insignificant auto driver and his revenge plot turning into an intense thriller. But this time, the filmmaker has turned the tables the other way down to deliver a strong, captivating film with the right punch and inspirational genre.
    The film starts off with the shots of two house help workers talking about topics hot in the town. And then, after a couple of genuine, seen-there-in-the-day-to-day-life sequences and a bunch of romantic moments, the film turns tense: one of the workers, Shravan Kumar (who is not someone who figuratively comes off as an obedient son, how clever, Anurag!) has got into a fight with his own master, Bhagwan Das Mishra, a rich affluent man in the town, the head of the state's boxing federation. This will be very hard for Shravan now. No, not only a stable life in the town, but also for fulfilling his dream of becoming a boxer, more specifically, a brawler.
    The story is designed as an attention-capturing drama with a full-blown sports story, and that comes really naturally. How can a director as good as AK not be able to design an amazing sports drama in the land of 'Dangal' or 'Chak De! India'. Just that the sports drama should not get formulaic, or else all the fun is sucked out ultimately and you feel nothing except in the climax. Anurag satisfyingly makes the sports drama work with the ingenuity. But he also makes sure that the emotional romantics, the love story between the 'mukkabaaz' and his love interest, a mute girl Sunaina also works. That sequence in which Sunaina insists Shravan on learning the sign language comes off as a realistic one.
    Anurag has also managed to look that the script is all settled, all fundamental, but with a strong backbone. Kashyap has pulled off a good script, along with the UP-based screenwriters Ranjan Chandel, Mukti Singh Srinet, Prasoon Mishra and also the lead, Vineet Kumar Singh who hails himself from Benaras. The writing in the first half is strong and consistent.
    And the performances are essentially amazing. Not an actor could pull off the performance of this underdog brawler as smoothly as Vineet Kumar Singh. It is his first in a leading role, but easily comes off as his strongest one. He plays it like a true-blue, natural actor. It needs an applause, a thundering applause on how the actor Zoya Hussain, terrific as Sunaina, plays her part gracefully and with utmost conviction in what can be called the most impressive debut performance essayed by an actress this year. Ravi Kishan, although in Bollywood for years now, is strong in his best performance as Sharvan's trainer.
    But the film has its share of problems. At roughly three hours, the film is too inconsistent in the second half to be so long. But you'll love rest of it.

    September 14, 19
  • Himanshu pandey
    Himanshu pandey
    22 reviews
    Senior Reviewer
    7

    it was 2012.. one guy named ‘Danish Khan ‘ lost his heart to Shama Parveen, sister of sultan qureshi and married her against the wishes of sultan...that Danish Khan ( brilliant Vineet Kumar singh) from Gang of Wasseypur has now transformed into a Hugged and muscular ,the boxer ‘Shravan singh’ and is all set to win his love ‘sunaina’(sultry joya Hussain who is playing a girl with no lyrinx)from the fist of Bhagwan Das mishra( baahubali and amazing jimmy Shergill)... MUKKABAZ is a primarily a love story interwoven with the issues like sports system,corruption,casteism etc....
    Vineet Kumar singh ,the protagonist who wants to be a boxer has played his character to the T.. he is a treat to watch..the way he hooks,punches,jabs are straight from the ring and looks so technical that he can easily make boxers run for their money..he portrays the suffering of a budding player who wants to make his name overcoming the financial and emotional turmoil he faces every other moment beautifully..there is one scene of his having conversation with his dad and I must say he completely owns that scene..the pain and agony he shows is amazing..
    His love interest portrayed so raw by new comer Zoya Hussain also gives audience the romantic goosebumps..she can’t speak yet delivers the romance through her eyes..I liked the way how the director made her character who kept chewing the bubble gum even when she was in vivah mandap..I think this was made to show that the character despite having physical disabilities have the self confidence and can not just be taken down by patriarchal mindsets for their (dis)advantages...The roles of Ravi kishan and jimmy sheragil were not written that perfectly but they also excelled in their parts...
    Mukkabaaz also touches the casteism plot and sarcastically captures it through the dialogues..background music and rather songs are good especially ‘mushkil hai mail priye’ and it subtely consummates with the scenes whenever it plays...since it is based in uttarpradesh,the rustic aura can be seen.the location looks so authentic and beautiful...
    With all said, I must also mention here the negative point...it is about the length and the climax.. movie is stretched a bit..had it been edited more ,it would have been great..also,it has the climax which certainly does not satiate you at the end..although it completes the narration from the ‘Shravan the lover’s point of view but does not do justice at all with the ‘Shravan the boxer’..I won’t say this is anurag’s best till date but In a nutshell, this movie is still an entertainer with no gaalis and abuses(hard to believe as it is Anurag Kashyap’s movie) and with the towering performances from all the actors this flick certainly packs a powerful punch..

    October 05, 19
  • Sanjay Kumar Singh
    Sanjay Kumar Singh
    1 review
    Member
    9

    Plusses
    Nice and taught storyline
    Excellent dialogue writing
    Excellent dialogue delivery by lead actors and other supporting actors
    Selection of cast
    Some nice songs
    Minusses
    Last 20 minutes could have been made more taught. Welcome a new actor and actress to the big screen. Hats off to Anurag Kashyap n team.

    January 14, 18