In an era of political turmoil worldwide, Anurag Kashyap's realistically violent GULAAL comes out as a new-age political vendetta saga. Like its revolutionary theme and subject, the film brings in new flair of experimentation in music with actor-cum-writer Piyush Mishra making his first major dent as composer in the tinsel town. Kashyap's BLACK FRIDAY (based on 1993 Mumbai blasts) and recently released DEV D was a path-breaker and also critical success (both musically and theatrically) and now GULAAL opens up new chapters of hysterical political scenario with some penchant on-screen performances. Can GULAAL turn out as colorful musically as its title? Can Piyush Mishra's cinematic intellect and Anurag Kashyap's bizarre vision be sufficient enough to raise the curiosity quotient of the flick through this audio packaging? Let's gets straight into the facts and hear what GULAAL has to say to us…
Political lyricism finally makes a strong occurrence in Hindi filmdom where Piyush Mishra's raunchy cum impish wordings discuss worlds' most happening events with satirical naughty tinges in ''Ranaji''. Rekha Bharadwaj's intrinsically folksy tones makes loud references to 9/11 incidents with feel that is strikingly similar to ''Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna'' (KARAN ARJUN). As a composer and lyricist, Piyush Mishra makes sufficient novel moves with style of music that belongs to Vishal (OMKARA) style of music. Courtesan singing act finds another melodic stir with Rekha Bharadwaj's delivering out ''Beedo'' with similar spicy moods and gestures. Unlike ''Ranaji'', this one has strong Indian classical affixation with strong amalgamation of ''tabla'', ''sarangi'' and harmonium in typical Rajasthani folksy raunchy flavours. Piyush Mishra makes strong inspirational lift from ''Namak'' (OMKARA) with Rekha's nasal twang setting her flair and mixing it well with ''mujra'' type music. Both these lively tracks sets out an ethnic picturesque of events and serves well with amiable folksy music that can set the desired pace for this blood-curdling political warfare saga.
''Yaara Maula'', a poignant and tear-jerking Sufi number comes with subtle undertones of emotions but with ferocious outrage of politically driven violent events in belligerent sounding composition. After successful ''Bandey'' and ''Bhram Bhap Ke'' (BLACK FRIDAY), Anurag Kashyap prefers the likes of INDIAN OCEAN with lead vocalists Ashim Chakravarty along with Rahul Ram setting the floors on fire with ''hard-rock'' belligerent beat patterns. The song is like a thunderous audio background score where innocent students are forced into blood-thirsty game of power and politics. It has the venom, aggression and compassion of volatile happening and is well inundated with thriving rock music display.
Legendary poet Kavi Pradeep (famous for patriotic songs like ''Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon'' ) gets a befitting tribute with Piyush Mishra impersonating his flair of writing and singing style in album's most promising attribute ''Aarambh''. It sets out a commotion of impulsive happening that sets the stage of the beginning (''Aarambh'') of new era. Mishra makes maximum impact as an erudite lyricist by making philosophical references and poetic allusion of the red hot-blooded ''gulaal'' (red-color) with the aggressive and vicious mindset of the protagonists. Mishra's somber and deep-tone baritones have shades of Kavi Pradeep's singing and it's a great innovative feel to rechristen out this legendary luminary with the track that holds the maximum semblance with the subject. Expressive!
Only two characters are perfectly touched upon. One is Dukey Bana and Menon as the fanatic does a fantastic job. The other is Rananjay Singh Ransa (Abhimanyu Singh). As a rebel who has moved from his family heritage, Abhimanyu is excellent. His make-up and attitude goes with his character that has a mind of his own, inspite of being the beneficiary of a Royal Line in Rajasthan. Deepak Dobriyal as Menon's right hand (Bhatti) is once again immersed in his character. Mahi Gill who surprised with her act as Paro in DEV. D has proved that her performance was no fluke. She, like Dobriyal, belongs to the class of actors who believe in being the character. Jessy Randhawa in her first full-fledged role is very impressive but her character lacks meat, and towards the end, she lacks conviction in her part. That's because the director, instead of capitalizing on her humiliation is more concerned about Kiran who has political aspirations.
Rajeev Ravi as the cinematographer combines well with Kashyap in his mode of thinking and portrays on screen just what the director wants. The two seem to be working in sync, with Ravi fully understanding Kashyap's thought pattern.
But Kashyap had on his hand a wonderful subject. If only he had focused on one aspect (college politics and Dukey Bana's role in it), the film would have turned out to be a hard-hitting one. Trust Kashyap to go into the abstract. But then, that's his brand of filmmaking.
Anurag Kashyap's GULAAL restricts itself, when it could have cut across the audience. It begins with a bang, with Kay Kay Menon as Dukey Bana giving off an explosive speech to his band of followers. He wants a separate state to be ruled by the Rajputs, but what follows next is not what was promised.
As the camera closes in on Menon, looking solid and purposeful in his effort to start off a movement, you settle in for an engaging fare. But nothing much happens. The ragging is not what it was meant to be, disturbing and devious; Jessy Randhawa as the college professor does not fit the bill and her trying to be around the student Dileep (Raj Singh Chaudhary) who was locked nude with her for three days, also does not have any purpose. That aspect of the relationship is not dwelt upon. In addition, the relationship between Kiran (Ayesha Mohan) and Karan (Aditya Srivastav), the brother-sister duo who have their own agenda is not dealt with. In short, the multiple characters hold the film together with their performances.
In the end, it turns out to be a love story gone wrong. Where the girl uses the boy to plan her moves and the boy, surprisingly, is not able to see the devious her. He loses his mind and goes off on a killing spree.
Only two characters are perfectly touched upon. One is Dukey Bana and Menon as the fanatic does a fantastic job. The other is Rananjay Singh Ransa (Abhimanyu Singh). As a rebel who has moved from his family heritage, Abhimanyu is excellent. His make-up and attitude goes with his character that has a mind of his own, inspite of being the beneficiary of a Royal Line in Rajasthan. Deepak Dobriyal as Menon's right hand (Bhatti) is once again immersed in his character. Mahi Gill who surprised with her act as Paro in DEV. D has proved that her performance was no fluke. She, like Dobriyal, belongs to the class of actors who believe in being the character. Jessy Randhawa in her first full-fledged role is very impressive but her character lacks meat, and towards the end, she lacks conviction in her part. That's because the director, instead of capitalizing on her humiliation is more concerned about Kiran who has political aspirations.
Rajeev Ravi as the cinematographer combines well with Kashyap in his mode of thinking and portrays on screen just what the director wants. The two seem to be working in sync, with Ravi fully understanding Kashyap's thought pattern.
But Kashyap had on his hand a wonderful subject. If only he had focused on one aspect (college politics and Dukey Bana's role in it), the film would have turned out to be a hard-hitting one. Trust Kashyap to go into the abstract. But then, that's his brand of filmmaking.
