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Shanghai (2012) - Reviewed


CINEMATIC ECSTASY


Kasam khoon ki khayee hai, sheher nahi Shanghai hai…


The movie starts off with Bhagu (Pitobash) wondering about the English word for ‘mutton’! Bhagu is one of those party workers who do the dirty work for the well-dressed bureaucrats and politicians. The story, adapted from Vassilis Vassilikos’ novel Z (also made into an Oscar winning film with the same name) is set in a fictitious town in India called Bharatpur. The Bureaucrats plan to set up a business park under the project called IBP. The voice over says that its stands for India Business Project while the hoardings and pictures in the movie suggest that its International Business Project (flaw :-P).


Dr. Ahmadi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) is seen in a cameo playing an activist who opposes IBP. Shalini Sahay (Kalki Koechlin) is an associate, student and lover to an already married Dr. Ahmedi. There is a scene between two where you might think that Dr. Ahmedi is killing Shalini but you soon realize they are kissing!  Ahmedi is mowed down by a truck after giving a speech in Bharatpur. T. A. Krishnan (Abhay Deol) is a smart, stubborn madrasi bureaucrat who is given the task of investigating Ahmedi’s death. The inquiry being just a formality, Krishnan is expected to declare his death as an accident - instead Krishnan goes to the root of the case. 


Joginder Parmar brilliantly played by Emraan Hasmi helps Krishnan with the evidences to prove that Ahmedi’s death was indeed a well-planned accident – a murder!
Joginder is a videographer, pornographer, pot bellied, spoiled toothed man in his thirties. Emraan Hashmi sheds his serial-kisser look to make way for Joginder who dance crazy on the streets; smiles proudly displaying the spoiled teeth (don’t miss the scene between him and Abhay Deol in the loo!).


Marathi enthusiasts can have a glimpse of Chinmay Mandlekar playing a police officer. Director Dibakar Banerjee’s road shows and street dances, slow motion face-blackening clubbed with strong performances by Farooq Sheikh (a senior to Krishnan), Emraan Hashmi and Prosenjit Chatterjee make Shanghai a must-watch!

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