Shanghai (2012)

Too much of everything

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

I watched "Shanghai" yesterday and it is a decent Indianized adaptation of "Z" by Costa Gavraswhich had far reaching consequences in the real world. You can read the real life implications in my other review of the classic itself.Good acting from Deol and Emraan Haashmi carried the movie all over. There were some dramatics hrown in for Indianing the story but that goes with our taste and spirit. Same for a couple of songs and an Item number, to make it commercially viable.Mr Banerjee adapting from the Costa Gavras movie after 40 long years probably proves once again that a classic is "timeless". It is good that he did pay homage to the original during the name casting which some very well known directors sometimes miss so sorely ; example SLB when he made "Black" from "The Miracle"..

Shanghai is a level up for Dibaker Banerjee as well as Indian Cinema for so many reasons:1. I don't remember if there has ever been a director after Kundan Shah(Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron) who has braved a quality satire on Indian socio-political system.2. Shanghai shows nothing more than what you already know but still keeps you engrossed because the intensity never dies down.3. It is full of instances where ironical moments have been juxtaposed in the time line and that definitely is one of the core strengths of the movie. 4. Another facet of Abhay Deol is unveiled in Shanghai.He perfectly portrays the characters without overdoing the accent which even a seasoned actor could have ended up with.5. Emran Hashmi never lacked talent but Banerjee's Shanghai provides him of the right opportunity and Hasmi makes full of it by delivering a career defining performance.6. Kalki is her usual best displaying plethora of emotions with aplomb ease.7. The research done to show how the government machinery works is worthy of praise considering how most other movie makers don't even care to research.8. Above all these what makes this movie a grand success is the stupendous casting of all the secondary characters.Kudos!

I slept late at night ,gt up early, went for the early morning show comprimising on my sleep ..but throughout this movie ,never did I even once felt sleepy or bored !!! This tells how much engaging i found this movie , how much the movie gets you involved into it !! There is a perfect set-up , subtle build up and then there is that fine climax !! Despite its sluggish pace Shanghai makes for an excellent watch !! There is a possibility that you might predict the plot but how the director gets there is simply superb . Now thats where lies the beauty of this film. The real people in the frame ,the surroundings ,form most of the background score. So much emphasis is given on the details that a natural humour comes out even in tense scenes. The movie doesn't rely on heavy dialogues to convey its message,now that credit goes to the screenplay! Performances of the ensemble cast is flawless, a special mention ..'Emraan' who comes out of his comfort zone to deliver a performance that will put him the category of finest actors !! Shanghai ,not recommended for those who go for a movie just for a masala entertainment ! Finally Shanghai is a movie that you will either love dearly or hate ,i enjoyed it !!

It takes a maverick director to craft a cinema so bleak and brutal in its portrayal of truth that it has the power to provoke debates and lead to heavy handed argumentation. Dibakar Banerjee steers a political thriller so acidic in its content and so bitter in its handling that it hits you hard in your guts and leaves you wanting for more.When an activist leader, Dr. Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) is mowed down by a fast moving truck in what appears to be an accident, the hypothetical city of Bharatnagar boils down into a war field of riots and horrors. A student of Dr. Ahmedi, Shalini (Kalki Koechlin) becomes convinced that it was not an accident and was a preplanned murder. She along with a local photographer Jogi (Emraan Hashmi), who claims to have decisive evidence, fights for justice in a city brimming with deceit, bureaucracy and corruption. A high ranking official Krishnan (Abhay Deol) is given the responsibility of investigating the case. At its core, Shanghai carries the notion of development at the stake of humanity. As the slogan of a prominent party IBP in the movie goes, "Kasam khoon ki khayi hai, Sheher nahin Shanghai hai", Shanghai is treated as a metaphor for all the progress and evolution that the party promises in bharatnagar. Yet, regardless of the ballgame and skin crawling riots and unforgiving violence, the citizens of bharatnagar, proudly sings, "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". 'Shanghai' is a painfully slow movie. So, the viewer who has to sit back in the first hour only has his comfort in the beautiful little nuisances spilled across the screen. Dibakar Bannerjee has an eye for the details and he hits all his notes correct in detailing the landscape of silver screen. It is in the second hour that the movie grips the audience and sucks us into the world so true yet so oblivious to our naked eye.Dibakar Bannerjee who previously directed Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (2008) and Love Sex Aur Dhoka (2010) shows superlative skills of direction and writing. The script is savage and brutally raw. Shanghai is an atmosphere driven movie and the screenplay scores brownie points by depicting the circumstances as authentic as they could have been manifested on the silver screen.The film tends to get distant from the viewer and is deliberately a tad sluggish. Kudos to the star cast with Emraan Hashmi leading from the front with a visceral portrayal of a middle class citizen. With Shanghai, Abhay Deol gets another coat in his armor and he is undoubtedly, 'the dark horse' of Bollywood cinema. Kalki Koechlin shines again as a lone girl seeking for justice in a ruthless system.'Shanghai' is merciless and forces the audience to ponder over the state of our nation. It is by no means a yet another 100 crore blockbuster. It is an intelligent political thriller with a noble intention and a callous crime drama at its heart. Rating: 3.5 / 5