When it comes to John Abraham, his mass appeal lies in his fabulous physique and the action sequences, in which he feels at home. That is what exactly Mumbai Saga, the actor’s power-packed latest film is all about. Obviously, the storyline, which is purported to be based on true events, is in sync with our lead protagonist’s strengths.
Mumbai Saga It is directed by Sanjay Gupta, who specialises in gangster films and has given hits like Kaante and Shootout At Lokhandwala.
Start with a Bang
The film is set in Bombay (present day Mumbai) of 90s and starts with a bang — with Amartya Rao (Abraham) killing Samir Soni, a businessman in broad daylight — thereby setting its tone for the next 128 minute proceedings. Rewinding, the script takes the audience back to Rao’s life eight years ago, when he earned an honest living as a vegetable vendor at the railway station, while doting over his younger brother Arjun (Prateik Babbar).
Let loose mayhem!
The peace in Rao’s life and the screen is short-lived! Badly beaten up by the henchmen of Gaitonde (Amole Gupte) over extortion, Arjun is hospitalised. Flexing his muscles, Rao’s brawn does the talking and he lands in the cooler setting in motion his journey into the world of crime run by crooked politicians and ruthless mafia dons.
Rao getting patronage from a powerful politician Bhau (Mahesh Manjrekar), and help from Sada Anna (Suniel Shetty) and Naari Khan (Gulshan Grover), a drug dealer, whom he befriended in the jail, moves up the ladder fast. He is counted among the powerful gangsters of the metropolis. Flaunting his notoriety, Rao says, "bandook toh sirf shaunk ke liye rakhta hoon, darane ke liye naam hi kaafi hai.”
It is when the killed businessman’s wife (Anjana Sukhani) declares a huge bounty of Rs.10 crore for anyone who kills Rao, that the smooth rule is jolted. Enter the encounter specialist and trigger happy cop Vijay Savarkar (Emraan Hashmi) who goes after Rao like a blood hound.
Evenly matched
At home, flexing his muscles, Abraham carries the film on his broad shoulders doing what he does best – beating the baddies and mouthing solid dialogues. He ensures that the first-half is engaging. Though faltering in emotional scenes, Abraham delivers the punches and the performance well enough not to disappoint the audience and definitely not his fans!
Keeping pace with Abraham, Hashmi acquits himself well as the cop. Sharing the screen with him, he does well to hold on his own, giving viewers much to cheer about. Shetty’s crisp and short role makes him stand out while Manjrekar and Gupte, the seasoned performers run through their roles with the ease of veterans. The testosterone driven tale hardly leaves any space for Kajal Aggarwal and Sukhani.
The dramatic dialogues delivered with equal gusto heighten the entertainment quotient. What fails is the inability of the writing to keep the tempo going so characters start falling and failing. The twists, complications and conflicts don’t sustain long.
Overall for those who love thrills, action, guns, and ketchup, it is paisa-vasool!
