Film Review: 'Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns' surprisingly is a winner

Film: Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Jimmy Shergill, Mahie Gill, Soha Ali Khan, Raj
Babbar, Parvesh Rana
Director: Tighmanshu Dhulia
Rating: ***1/2

An intoxicated Mahie Gill draped in a sari accentuating her curves
listens to the classic ‘lag jaa gale’ from Woh Kaun Thi. But that’s
not the only moment where this song appears. In fact Tighmanshu Dhulia makes references to this song at different moments signifying the changing mood of its central characters.

Despite being a sequel, Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns is a stand alone piece that doesn’t need any cross referencing to its predecessor. The opening montage introduces us to the three key players – Sahib (Jimmy Shergill), Biwi (Mahie Gill) and Gangster (Irrfan Khan) who might even puzzle Grand Master Vishwanathan Anand with their cryptic moves and maneuvers. Set in Uttar Pradesh the story revolves around the royal families of Maharajas who are now mere pawns in the hands of local politicians.  Sahib and Gangster are both seeking revenge from each other for different reasons. The former seeks to punish those who confined him to a wheel chair and the latter wants to avenge the death of his ancestors. Ranjana (Soha) is the princess who loves a bandit but is forced to marry the Sahib.Throughout the 150 odd minutes we are shown these characters change their colors faster than a chameleon, scheme the downfall of each other and give double crossing an entirely new meaning.

The films biggest asset is not the ensemble but the writing. The screenplay and dialogues are par excellence, giving the film a remarkable flavor, seductively drawing us into the lives of these characters. There is enough fodder to draw applause and whistles with lines like ‘hamare toh gaaliyon pe bhi taaliyan padti hai’, or the explanation as to why men uses bad words, ‘kyunke woh rootey kam hai!’. Dhulia doesn’t waste much time in setting the ball rolling.

There is pace and agility to his effort, which struggles in the middle but catches up as the film nears its end.

Jimmy Shergill’s Sahib is bound to a  wheelchair, but his spirit towers sky high. He deserves full marks for giving a subtle yet fiery performance where most of his emotions are conveyed through his eyes and expressions. Irrfan on the other hand has a character that  plays to the gallery with his candidness . Mahie Gill despite the limitations of her character, rises above the expected drunken act and lights up the screen with her effervescence. Soha is perfectly cast in her role as the woman who stops herself from being objectified by the men around her. A special nod to Rajeev Gupta who plays a bumbling politician with the most paisa vasool scenes in the film.

On the downfall the songs don’t compliment the storyline. Mugdha Godse’s item number is unnecessary and only adds screen time to an already stretched story line. Even though the climax is brilliant, it seems rushed and poorly edited.

At home with the genre, Dhulia delivers a winner that not only entertains, but keeps you engaged with its riveting screenplay and top notch performances.