The much awaited WorldWar II based love triangle Rangoon is releasing today. Starring Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor in the lead roles, the story is about a beautiful film star from the film sets of 1944 Bollywood who must go to the jungles of the India-Burma border where she must entertain the English and Indian troops. In the midst of battles and betrayals, Julia (Kangana Ranaut) falls in love with a young Indian soldier Nawab (Shahid Kapoor), and learns some bitter truths about the dream of Indian independence. Battle lines are drawn when her mentor and lover Rusi (Saif Ali Khan) learns of the torrid love affair.
The reviews are pouring in and check out what the critics say about the war drama:
1. Rangoon haunts in unlikely fashion and, while the director’s most straightforward picture, holds enough of its own marvels to justify multiple viewings. Like a song-and-dance troupe trampling all over a map of Europe to tell their own fractured, misguided jokes, or an old man cosily swilling wine after having faked his own death, Rangoon may be direct, but it is never obvious. As the credits used to say back in the day at the close of a spectacular film, ‘Remember, it’s a Vishal Bhardwaj creation. – Rediff.com (4/5)
2. Bhardwaj, whose repertoire includes truly-fine works like Maqbool, Omkara, and Haider delivers, but not entirely. Some frames just hang, some scenes feel tedious. In his attempt to pack in too much on war, love and deceit, the maker ends up with some haphazard division of war scenes versus love games, leaving the viewer muddled. – Times of India (3.5/5)
3. The intention of Vishal Bharadwaj’s ambitiously mounted film is clear: to weave the skeins of love and war in order to make a movie full of throbbing passion and grand statements. But the execution never quite matches up, the gap narrowing in just a few places, in the second half. – Indian Express (1.5/5)
4. Frankly, RANGOON is a complex film and it does take time to dissolve oneself wholly in the world of Rusi, Julia and Nawab. Thankfully, there’s much meat in the second half. The myriad emotions [love, jealousy, betrayal], the sequence of events in the second half, the nail-biting finale. On the whole, RANGOON is an epic love saga with strong emotional quotient, riveting second hour and nail-biting finale. Watch it for its layered plot, serpentine twists, proficient storytelling and bravura performances. A content-driven film that’s worth a recommendation! – Taran Adarsh (4/5)
5. It’s an ambitious film where Bhardwaj wants to merge two worlds: One inspired from Shakespearean tragedies and other motivated by the valiant lovers of the Indian cinema. In the end, neither comes alive on screen – on top of it a messy climax that topples whatever hard work was done building a world of romance. – Hindustan Times (2/5)
6. If you are a Vishal Bhardwaj fan, let us warn you that this might not be his best, but we bet you’ll see another kind of a storyteller here. And yes, he does deliver a movie that is embedded with fine performances from the cast and great visuals by cinematographer Pankaj Kumar and that makes the movie deserving of a watch despite its flaws. – Bollywood Life (4/5)
7. Rangoon is definitely not avoidable but it is certainly not a Vishal Bhardwaj masterpiece. Watch the film for its performances and if you come to know whether it is a war film or a love story, then please post your comments in the section below. – Deccan Chronicle (2.5/5)
8. Rangoon is no masterpiece. It fails to rise above Vishal’s imagination of cinema. Lengthy and forced, it is a confused war-love-freedom struggle drama. – KoiMoi (2/5)
9. Ranaut is remarkable playing the sort of character no Hindi film leading lady has been given for decades now. A big bow to Bhardwaj for that, and to the actress for being the change she clearly wants to see. This action queen deserved a more vibrant film though. – FirstPost (2.5/5)
Mixed reviews for Rangoon early on…Still the movie looks above the cliche bollywood stuff for sure. Will you be watching it?