Movie: The Dirty Picture
Starring: Vidya Balan, Naseruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi, Tusshar Kapoor . . .
Director: Milan Luthria
Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor
Music : Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani
Movie Release Date: 02-12-2011
Cinemamasti Rating : 3.25/5
Story:
Reshma (Vidya Balan) small town girl with dreams of stardom in her eyes, sets out for Chennai, with nothing but her passion to stir her on. After the usual period of struggle and rejections, she gets her break as an item girl who’s got the most sensuous moves in town. It doesn’t take her long to storm the box office as Silk, the sex symbol who’s driving a whole generation crazy with her oomph. The industry too can’t stay immune to her earthy charms and her list of worshipers — and lovers — keeps multiplying, until it’s downhill time. Will simpleton Silk be able to survive the rigours of a heartless work place that discards faster than it accepts?
Analysis:
Milan Luthria is a pro at showing the intricate details of a true life story. He did it in ‘Once Upon A time in Mumbaai’ and he does it again. I haven’t closely monitored Silk Smitha’s life but from what is said about her, Milan gets it right. The film transports you to the 80’s era successfully and how films were made those days and what worked. Sex sells, yes just the packaging changes. It is shown in a more sophisticated manner these days but it’s true, how much ever we may try to defend. The point is that the woman is shown sultry loses everything, but those who are showing her in that light and those who are watching it get away. The film makes you think.
Talking about the entertaining aspects of the film, it has it all. It has all the masala needed for a commercial potboiler and those who refrain from watching emotions will love the first half. Second half is more on the darker side and is not for people who like light comic flicks. It gives glimpses of Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Fashion’ as the latter was also about the ups and downs of a model’s career. But ‘The Dirty Picture’ hits the right nail and works big time.
Performances:
Vidya Balan, enough said!! The name is synonym to abundance of talent. The gets into the nerve of the character and forgets that she is Vidya, she is Silk in the film and makes you believe that. She has put on 12 kgs for the film and is shown bulky but manages to look good, apart from a few scenes where here tummy is focused more on. Tusshar Kapoor plays a writer who is in love with Silk. He does a decent job. Emraan Hashmi has a mystic charm to him. He entertains with his dialogue delivery and is refreshing to see him in a different role than seen before. Naseeruddin Shah is a gem. He is par-a-class. The rest of the supporting cast is aptly cast.
Technicalities:
Direction is a total thumbs up. Background score totally apt. Music is a blend of the 80’s with Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Ooh La La’ already a chartbuster while ‘Ishq Sufiana’ is in sync with the on-going trend. Milan manages to recreate the 80’s era and it’s refreshing to see for the younger generation who haven’t witnessed the actual. Cinematography is good. Dialogue and its delivery is a major plus. All the dialogues are worth lauding.
Plus Points:
Performances
Dialogues
Music
Minus Points:
overdose of emotions in the second half
Final Verdict:
The Dirty Picture is definitely not only film for the week, but is a seminal work that will be studied in feminist discourses.
