My Take On RANGOON - "Quite Flawed Yet Too Fascinating"

Rangoon which is Vishal Bhardwaj's most ambitious project till date is a solid, heroic attempt by India's most skillful filmmaker but by his standards, it's not amongst his finest works. He could have made it with more finesse. But lots of things deserve appreciation here. The visuals are remarkable, dialogues well written and performances are superlative. Kangana Ranaut and Shahid Kapoor are simply first rate. Kangana is the heart of this creation. She powers Julia with her sheer beauty and class. Shahid, to his credit, brings enormous panache to his part. He looks fabulous and emotes with perfection. 2nd half particularly displays the brilliance of the actor. Kangana & Shahid, each gives one of their best acts. Saif Ali Khan, one the other hand, does very well in parts. His role actually isn't as meaty as the other protagonists' still he also shines especially post interval through his charm & conviction. Vishal Bhardwaj's music is riveting. Songs as Julia, Tippa, Alvida and Bloody Hell are fabulous. His direction has command too but unfortunately the screenplay lacks soul(the patriotic portion needed soul) and depth(romance hasn't had enough depth) even though it's mostly a fine execution. Another drawback is that it turns out superficial occasionally, particularly towards the end. Cinematography is top notch, action scenes are well delivered and VFX is fine.

Thus Rangoon is impressive and beautifully shot but not upto Vishal Bhardwaj's calibre. His vision is laudable but his script should have been finer.
It's terrific in parts with quite a few goosebump moments while clunky in bits. It's very much watchable but not without it's notable flaws. Its problematic yet powerful. It's an appreciable experience but not satisfactory enough.

My Rating- 3.5/5

Rangoon worths a watch for it's noble intention, perfect acting and VB's fair grandeur. It may not be his best but even his good craft deserves a viewing. See it friends!

Why Indians Must Watch RANGOON!!!

Vishal Bhardwaj, the ace filmmaker of the country, who is well known for converting good screenplays into better films through his real and brilliant storytelling is all set for the release of his next, titled, Rangoon which happens to be his dream ambitious project.
It's always a treat to watch this maestro's cinematic vision on big screen and the anticipation regarding Rangoon is too high for obvious reasons. Firstly, it's a Vishal Bhardwaj film. Secondly, it has such a fine starcast like Shahid Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut & Saif Ali Khan in pivotal roles. Thirdly and most importantly, it has a commendable backdrop which reflects patriotic essence. This seems riveting, something which will surely woo our viewers to appreciate. Not only we will get to see a quality period saga set during World War II, but at the same time, the unflinching feel of patriotism is likely to be the biggest merit of this upcoming classic.
As Shahid plays a soldier in the film, his character promises to offer some breathtaking moments that will enhance the country's pride. It will glorify how our real heroes become selfless for the wellbeing of the nation. Also in one of his earlier interviews, the actor did say that his character in Rangoon is a big ardent nationalist.
Moreover, from the latest sources related to Rangoon, strong rumours have been flying that it's makers have decided to donate the first day boxoffice earnings to the families of our martyr soldiers during URI attack last year. Although this news has not been officially proclaimed yet, we all should give a fair chance to Rangoon anyway.
Good films are hardly made these days and Rangoon looks to be one of those rare gems which deserves to be embraced by the audience for the betterment of our cinemas in terms of caliber and longevity. Thus, it should be a must watch by one and all.
Rangoon releases on 24th Feb. Hopefully, it will be as special as it should be.