As a dyed-in-the-wool servant of the British government, he betrays the loyalty of every Indian whose support he enlists in order to preserve the empire at all cost.īut instead of inviting revulsion among the audience, he ends up looking unintentionally funny as he goes about claiming to be a “Hindustani at heart”, practicing Hindustani music, playing the harmonium and spouting heavily-accented Urdu poetry. One central character that falls flat is David Harding, a British officer played by Tony Award winner Richard McCabe. Shahid Kapoor also breezes through his role as a member of the British army who refuses to dedicate his life to his colonial masters and instead pledges allegiance to the Indian National Army, led by Indian freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose. He is rarely outstanding but his performance is remarkably restrained and for that, he deserves applause. He is suave and shrewd, sweet and menacing, alternately glowering at those around him or simply charming them into submission. The role of the hard-nosed movie producer seems tailor-made for Saif Ali Khan. He does, however, ensure solid performances from his lead cast and topped it with clever execution. After much initial sparring, a perilous walk through a rain-soaked forest and some falling, writhing and wrestling in the mud, sparks fly and mutual contempt gives way to love.īhardwaj, therefore, does not sway much from the done-to-death formula of two men vying for the affection of a woman. Julia meets Nawab Malik, a low-ranked soldier entrusted with her safety on a train journey to the India-Burma border. Many years later, as World War II rages, Rustom agrees to a deal with a British army official, who wants Julia to entertain his war-weary troops with her popular song and dance routines. He spots fatherless teen Julia (Kangana Ranaut) on the street and buys her for a sum of 1,000 rupees from her mother, presumably impressed by the girl’s beauty and skills as stunt performer. He presents the story of Rustom “Russi” Billimoria (Saif Ali Khan), an action hero of the silent era who becomes a movie producer after a stunt goes wrong and leaves him with a permanently damaged arm. There are occasional CGI disasters, most notably during the movie’s rushed climax, but the film mostly makes for a rewarding visual experience. The costumes, sets and mannerisms are also spot-on. “Rangoon” boasts of exquisite cinematography with rich and well-composed frames. The opening shot offers a taste of what’s to follow.

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