Directed By - Dibakar Banerjee
Starring - Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Deol, Prosenjit Chatterji, Kalki Koechlin, Farooque Shaikh, Supriya Pathak
Dibakar Banerjee's fourth screen outing (after the radical 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', the experimental 'LSD' and the humorous 'Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye') is a staggering story about a country pretending to be another brighter one. Although an adaption (of Vasilis Vasilikos's 'Z') it is turned into a strikingly relevant story of our times and our crimes.
The time is now and is set in the fictional town of Bharatnagar which is at the brink of becoming a high tech, super developed economic zone ( hence the reference to the beautiful city of Shanghai) under the government's program of IBP. Much like most development initiatives in our country this too has gaping holes. A large part of the population, who economically and education wise are not deemed fit to be part of this pseudo shanghai, will be rendered homeless as a result of this project. The Government chooses to conveniently overlook it for the sake of votes and national recognition. Enter Dr Ahmedi (Prosenjit) a professor and activist who has come to help the 'not so wise' realise the Government's ploy in the name of IBP. He is met with widespread protest as well as support. As is the case, he is mowed down by a truck (after a stunning speech) which is quickly covered up by the government as a drunken driving case. After Shalini (Koechlin), Ahmedi's student and lover as well as Ahmedi's wife cry foul, the Government sets up an enquiry commission which is headed by Krishnan, a seemingly honest and egoistic IAS officer. Also thrown in is Jogi Parmar (Hashmi) a small time videographer and adult film maker who has stumbled onto evidence which may turn the case around completely.
Banerjee's genius is most visible in his meticulous detailing. A tense commission proceeding being interrupted by a stray basketball or after a heated conversation the principal's slipping on the wet floor show that Dibakar banerjee is a man who fragments a film into moments, moments that stay with you. Also very impressive is the dark tone of the film, the amazing visuals and the realistic detailing work done on the characters, my favourite being Abhay deol's obsession with straightening and perfecting his neck tie.
Dibakar also does a fine job with the screenplay. Under 2 hours running time, the film is tight and the scenes are crisply shot. One of the major advantages of the film is the immense knowledge that the director has about Cinematrography. The camerawork is just stunning. it has the look and feel of world cinema much like Banerjee's earlier 'love sex aur dhokha'. The film has its share of hiccups. For one, it is very predictable and lacks the urgency that such thrillers generally should possess. Many would argue that it is not the point of the film, but still it does stick out as a sore thumb. Also, the ending seems a bit too convenient given that it is a film which attempts to show us the ironical and warped country we live in.
What goes bang on for the film is the acting. Kalki koechlin is okay as the slightly unhinged Shalini, the daughter of a fraud and lover of an unsung hero. Its a role that could be a Phd topic for her as she has done way too many times. She, according to me, is the weakest part of the film. Prosenjit Chatterji has a roughly 20 minute role in which he kills it. Trust me, if the superstar was given 10 more minutes he would have outshone the leads. He is terrific as the resilient academic cum activist. He plays the part of Dr Ahmedi with the adequate amount of restraint and coldness.
Its a revelation to watch Farooque Shaikh in a negative role. As the crooked IAS officer Shaikh is bound to break many of our mother's hearts that he had made his way into with films like Noorie. Its a surprise too, to watch Supriya Pathak play a character on the darker side of the grey scale. In fact this odd casting and the fact that no character is 'doodh ka dhula' creates a compelling atmosphere (again to the credit of Dibakar Banerjee). But the film clearly belongs to its leads. Abhay Deol as the seemingly honest bureaucrat is outstanding. He has the chameleon like aura and woody expression that is so engaging throughout. Its not the conventional man against the system sort of story but you are likely to find yourself rooting for him. But the clear winner in the acting department is - Emraan hashmi. The man has grown as an actor drastically (not to mention his soaring popularity evident from the whistles). As the low class and uncouth videographer who becomes an unlikely ally to the Ahmedi case when he finds himself in danger, Emraan is top notch. He underplays for most of the film, until the final outburst towards the climax. He is dirty, pathetic in english and sometimes downright disgusting. It's a stellar performance.
All in all Dibakar banerjee creates a wonderful world which is so relevant to our times. There are lapses but Banerjee shows us that quality cinema still exists in India and it can be entertaining too (which i was seriously doubting after Rowdy rathore became a success). Backed by superior direction, a tight screenplay, a haunting background score and standout performances. Shanghai is a winner.
Rating - 8.5/10
