Bombay Velvet Movie Review: More Style, Less Substance

Period films and noir flicks are guaranteed to warm the cockles of this reviewer's heart and so, it was with great expectation that yours truly stepped into the cinema-hall to catch Anurag Kashyap's latest offering.

Fedoras tilted jauntily over a brow, cigarette smoke curling up to make an eye squint and hoods wearing waistcoats and cravats belong to a world that has not been seen by our generation and yet, Bombay Velvet seems to leave one hungry for a little more.

Set against the backdrop of 50s era Bombay, the film revolves around an ambitious immigrant Johnny Balraj (Ranbir Kapoor), who wants to become a 'big shot' and this leads him into the welcoming arms of the sinister Kaizad Khambatta (Karan Johar), a media baron with a dirty finger in every pie.

Khambatta makes Balraj the owner of the swanky Bombay Velvet club, which also brings him closer to the object of his affection Rosie Noronha (Anushka Sharma), who may not be what she seems. As time progresses, Balraj ends up being a pawn in a game played by Khambatta and rival media baron Jimmy Mistry (Manish Choudhary), with the city as the prize.

Does Balraj manage to stay being a 'big shot'? Watch the movie to discover the rest…

After playing urbane and romantic roles in most of his films, Ranbir Kapoor manages to take your breath away in Bombay Velvet. Kapoor's Balraj has this animal magnetism that pulls you in and refuses to let you go. His ruthless demeanor coupled with a child-like naiveté, which pops out at times, is sure to leave you spell-bound. Mind you, Balraj is no 'hero' as such, for he doesn't think twice before bumping off people to achieve his ends, but at the same time, there is a 'flawed angel' quality to his character, which is quite endearing and impressive.

Anushka as Rosie too puts in a solid effort and the chemistry between her and Kapoor is something to watch out for. A vulnerable damsel-in-distress as well as a no-nonsense woman, who throws a chair at her lover's head for slapping her, Sharma's Rosie is a woman who cannot be bracketed in a single category, a far cry from the typical Bollywood heroine that we are used to seeing on silver screens.

Last but not the least, it is Karan Johar as Khambatta, who shines through in his full-fledged acting debut.  Khambatta might be slightly effeminate, but that doesn't dilute the aura of menace that he throws out with a raised eyebrow or a smirk. Khambatta's mixed feelings towards Balraj is what makes their clash even more interesting to watch. Indeed, Johar has put in his heart and soul in the performance. Special mention must also be made of Manish Choudhary, Vivaan Shah and Satyadeep Misra, who lend valuable support to the narrative with their impressive performances. (we wish the delightful Kay Kay Menon had a meatier role in the film too).

As for the direction, Anurag has gone all out to pay attention to great detail in the film, but with the lack of a strong storyline, the efforts seem to be in vain. The plot is quite predictable and has been explored countless times in films before- the thug with a heart of gold, who takes to crime and has a fall out with his mentor for the sake of love is something that is not new. What is indeed new is the way Kashyap has presented the story. The way Kashyap has portrayed the 50s era is visually delightful, but it must also be said that at times, the filmmaker seems to focus more on show than substance. The second half of the film too has been stretched a lot and the plot could have been crisper and tighter. The film is supposed to be based on Gyan Prakash's book 'Mumbai Fables', but whereas the book was a serious historical journal, the film only seeks to borrow the milieu and set a filmy story in it.

The music of the film is something that makes the film worth a watch for sure, Amit Trivedi has created magic for the film and the background music and the jazz score, which enriches the film, will definitely own you.

No doubt, this is Kashyap's most visually appealing film and the performances too are worthy enough…Now, if only the filmmaker had paid a bit more attention to the writing and the narrative.