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A film attains classic status when it generates endless meme content and its lines are quoted in daily discussions. The movies from director Anurag Kashyap, Gangs of Wasseypur (GoW) series, are prime examples. The film is showing in theaters again on Friday (August 30). This is an ideal moment to remember that Bollywood has the potential to greatly improve.
It was unexpected that a film about revenge in Jharkhand with top Hindi cinema actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Pankaj Tripathi, and Jaideep Ahlawat would serve as a study on masculinity and creating gangster films. It can be confirmed that the director was not intentionally attempting to do either of those things. In interviews, Kashyap has admitted that he was simply attempting to create a film, a 'masala' movie, focusing on "these criminals whose fixation on revenge was almost funny", according to A Rabbit's Foot.
The movies focus on the coal mafia in Dhanbad, and the three families competing for power and dominance within it. The franchise GoW illustrates how men can act incredibly foolish when seeking power and authority. Sardar Khan, portrayed by the versatile Manoj Bajpayee, is the ultimate example of the most ridiculously foolish gangster in film history. Director Anurag Kashyap has managed to counteract the unrealistic portrayal of crime bosses in film with him. Sardar Khan is a fool we laugh at, not with. Indeed, not only him, but also the behaviors and conversations of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Faizal, and Pankaj Tripathi's Sultan Qureshi have been depicted comically.
I remember the pursuit of Definite and Shamshad, the killing of Sultan Qureshi's character (Pankaj Tripathi), and the unsuccessful murder attempts by Sardar and his gang. The moment when Sardar Khan slaps his son for arguing with him right after being shot, and the famous 'chaabhi kahaan hai' scene (the search for the jeep's key) both show how even our intimidating gangsters can become clumsy and vulnerable. It seemed like Kashyap was taunting us, saying, 'look, this is your detestable, terrifying mafia group.' When a gang consistently commits murder and still manages to make viewers laugh, it is clear that they have found success with the audience.
The conversations also withstand the test of time. Ramadhir Singh's statement in the film about cinema fooling everyone, and the inclusion of characters idolizing actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan who play hyper masculine roles, serves as a reminder to the audience about the glorification of violence on screen by questioning the appeal of such behavior through characters like Sardar Khan.
Rajeev Ravi's cinematography was superb. Every single frame unfolded as if it were occurring in the present moment. The messiness was evident, yet it had a lively spirit that transcended the screen into our reality. Sneha Khanwalkar's music and GV Prakash's score perfectly complemented the strong screenplay by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri, resulting in a rustic, raw, and enjoyable experience.
Also Read: Watch the Best Bollywood Movies on Amazon Prime
