Movie Review: 'Dishkiyaaoon'

This Harman Baweja-starrer shows promise, but the unnecessary padding up of some characters proves to be a big hindrance

‘Dishkiyaaoon’
U/A: Action-Thriller
Director Sanamjit Singh Talwar
Cast: Harman Baweja, Sunny Deol, Prashant Narayanan, Aditya Pancholi, Ayesha Khanna
Rating: 

In the recent past, many Bollywood films have been set in North India. In that sense, Dishkiyaaoon is different; it dwells on a Mumbai backdrop. However, like many other films that are a throwback to the ’70s, this one too revolves around the mafia world. Films belonging to such a genre don’t always get it right. This Harman Baweja-starrer does show promise, but it seems to have missed out due to unnecessary padding up of some characters.

Harman Baweja and Ayesha Khanna in Dishkiyaaoon

The film is centred around a young man who is adamant on usurping a mafia lord’s throne. While the story is linear, it is not predictable. It also doesn’t really explain the reason behind his obsession. After all, he has to put a lot of things — family, love and friendship — on the line in his single-minded pursuit. One thing is made clear though: he appears emotionally weak but has what it takes to surprise his rivals. And that’s what keeps this film yawn-free.

The best part of the film is that most actors — be it the hero or the villain — have been given thoughtfully sketched roles. On the downside, the depiction of the city’s criminal underbelly seems stereotypical, and you get a sense of déjà vu. Fortunately, the twists and turns in the storyline work in the film’s favour. There is enough suspense to keep you glued to your seat. But if it wasn’t for the usual dose of naach-gaana and the same old ‘mafia gimmicks’, this film could have been crisper. The first-half meanders aimlessly while the second half is fast paced.

Performance-wise, Harman shows flashes of brilliance every now and then. This has to be his best work till date. Along with him, Anand Tiwari is at his finest as he plays the antagonist. Sunny Deol, with his kohled unibrow, gets to spout some fine dialogues. Prashant Narayanan delivers a powerful performance as Harman’s mentor. Ayesha Khanna hams for the most part, but is decent in the second half. All in all, better editing could have helped this film.

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