Review: See Mumbai as she was once upon a time

Film: Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (U/A)

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut, Prachi Desai, Randeep Hooda

Director: Milan Luthria
Rating: ***

 

A disclaimer at the beginning of Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai warns you against drawing comparisons between lead character Sultan Mirza (Devgn) and the late smuggler Haji Mastan Mirza. You would only be foolish to believe it.

 

Unfolding through the eyes of ACP Agnel Wilson (Hooda), the film tracks the rise of dua-hungry Sultan as a smuggler in the 1970s. Wilson, who is grilled after a suicide attempt, narrates the story of Sultan and his power-hungry protégé Shoaib Khan, on a mission to take over from his mentor.

 

The film explores the testy relationship between Sultan and Shoaib, reportedly based on Mastan and gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

 

The first half delineates the characters in question, their good, bad and ugly sides. It tracks Sultan’s rise from a flood victim to a soot-laden industrious bloke to a gangster having command over the Arabian Sea, which he uses to smuggle goods into the country.

 

Falling in love with Bombay and playing a messiah of the poor is something that characterises Sultan, who has a clean conscience despite the criminal empire he lords over. In stark contrast is the shady Shoaib, who has wicked plans to gain power over mehbooba Mumbai.

 

The romantic angle of the action drama is provided by flesh-and-blood mehboobas, actress Rehana (Kangna Ranaut) and coy salesgirl Mumtaz (Prachi Desai). We see the softer sides of hard-core criminals Sultan and Shoaib when they are with their respective love interests.

 

The film paints a very real picture of the Bombay of the 1970s, making it something of a reference point for those born after that decade.

 

The dialogues are, perhaps, the best part of the film. They pack a punch and make the audience sympathise with or abhor the characters delivering them. When Sultan says, “Main woh kaam karta hoon jiski ijaazat sarkar nahi deti. Main woh kaam nahi karta jiski ijaazat mera zameer nahi deta,” you want to join the crook in defending his wrongdoings. Shoaib’s comparison of the division of Mumbai into five parts with the mythological Draupadi leaves you in splits.

 

As for the performances, Devgn speaks through his expressions, while reinforcing one’s belief in the clout Haji Mastan once had. Hashmi is top class as the edgy and aggressive Shoaib. He makes you want to like him in every frame. Ranaut is good as the hoity-toity yet approachable film star. Girl-next-door Desai is subtly attractive, especially when she does a Bobby.

 

The story is compelling and so are the performances. But OUATIM still has some glaring loopholes. Rehana’s sudden illness (without any mention of it after a while), the trigger for Wilson to attempt suicide, and Sultan’s entry into politics are parts that needed explanation.

OUATIM is close to being an up-to-the-mark gangster flick, so it certainly commands a watch, for the setting and performances, if nothing else. Don’t miss it this weekend.