Lucknow Central Movie Review: It surely deserves a dekho

Farhan Akhtar, with an accent that's spot on, puts on an appreciable performance. The plusses in 'Lucknow Central' outnumber the weaknesses. It surely deserves a dekho

A still from 'Lucknow Central'

'Lucknow Central'
U/A; Drama/Musical/Thriller
Director: Ranjit Tiwari
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Diana Penty, Gippy Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Ronit Roy, Inaamulhaq, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: 

Debutante director Ranjit Tiwari's ability to whip up a warm tale about dreams, loss and surviving life's catastrophes is commendable. Inspired by true incidents, 'Lucknow Central' revolves around five jail inmates who dream of freedom, with Farhan Akhtar's Kishan repeatedly asserting lines like: "Bande qaid hote hain, sapne nahin,' or 'Shehar chote hote hai, spane nahi.'

An aspiring singer from Moradabad, Kishan wishes to form a music band, but ends up in jail after being inaccurately accused of murder. While he awaits his trial, he learns that the chief minister (played by Ravi Kishan), whose character is loosely based on Akhilesh Yadav, has announced an inter-jail music competition as part of an Independence Day ceremony. He decided to form a band with the help of an NGO worker (played by Diany Penty) with the hidden motive of making an escape. Kishan's inmates help him chalk out the masterplan, with the hope that their friend can realise his dream. But Kishan faces his biggest obstacle when the barbaric jailor (Ronit Roy), a staunch opponent of reforms, gets a whiff of his plan. Will Kishan succeed? You'll have to watch the film to know, and the journey will be memorable owing to the attention that's been paid to every detail. Rajesh Sharma, Deepak Dobriyal, Inaamulhaq and Gippy Grewal stand out with praiseworthy portrayals of their characters.

Lucknow Central will make you laugh and cry, and will leave you with memories that last long after the film concludes. The scene where Kishan experiences the immanent deathly circumstances that await him as a jailor gives him a tour of the premise, is impactful. Though commercial in approach, Tiwari keeps his film unpretentious and thus, relatable. Akhtar, with an accent that's spot on, put on an appreciable performance.

However, the film has its share of follies when the second half kicks off. The music could have been played a vital role in the film, but fails. A sloppy climax ends this sweet experience on a bitter note, turning out to be that unpalatable dessert that ruins a delectable experience. Yet, the plusses in Lucknow Central outnumber the weaknesses. It surely deserves a dekho.

Watch Trailer:

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!