Mardaani (2014)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating: 4/5 starsClearly, one of Bollywood's leading ladies, Rani Mukerji, has had it with crimes against girls and women in India. In "No One Killed Jessica" (2011), based on a true-life miscarriage of justice, she played a television reporter hunting a man who killed a beautiful bartender. The perpetrator, the son of a former government official, who's almost immune to prosecution, is brought to justice mostly due to her ballsy, no-half-measures pursuit of the true story.There are a number Indian film actors, male and some female, that one can easily think of taking on the role of an action hero badass, but far from immediately coming to mind to fill such an avatar is Rani Mukerji, what with her pocket-size-petite frame. But not for nothing is she considered one of Bollywood's most accomplished actresses, stretching beyond the typical romantic heroine comfort zone to fearlessly take on difficult parts.In Pradeep Sarkar's tense police actioner, "Mardaani," Mukerji — as Shivani Shivaji Roy, a senior inspector in the Mumbai Crime Branch — directs her ferocity toward sex crimes, specifically child trafficking. When a girl - from a state-run shelter - dear to Shivani is kidnapped by pimps, our heroine is again on a mission, but this time as a bona-fide action star brimming with conviction. (In Hindi, "Mardaani" means independent or brave.)Director, Pradeep Sarkar, takes the right approach in easing the audience into the idea of Mukerji playing a tough cop determined to take down sex traffickers who have abducted a young friend of hers. We don't see Mukerji immediately dive into action, but instead essay the role from the inside-out, projecting her natural poise, confidence, and intelligence as she leads an undercover police bust. From there the layers are peeled away and the rougher edges gradually, organically exposed. Talking tough and taking no crap, Rani's tough-as-nails character convincingly embodies righteous authority that by the time she evolves into the action heroine determined to take down the bad guys, one doesn't question it at all. Not that Mukerji ever loses her vulnerability, which proves to be valuable in keeping her from becoming a run-of-the-mill stock hero. However, if her character looks so good on screen, it's due in large part to newcomer Tahir Raj Bhasin brilliantly offsetting it with his insensitive, callous, and downright despicable turn as the new-age suave leader of the flesh trade.Mukerji and Sarkar previously collaborated on 2007's "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag",, where the director dared to tackle the bold story of a desperate woman driven to prostitution, but somehow made it feel safe and chaste as if careful to not offend the masses. Here, much like how he doesn't compromise with Mukerji's role, he doesn't soft- pedal the young women's ordeal, crafting some harrowing sequences. However, the film's main USP remains that one of Indian cinema's sweethearts, Mukerji, kicks some major ass, and Sarkar knows this all too well, and more importantly never tries to downplay it.Shivani's investigative trail takes her to New Delhi as she follows an underworld network to a ruthless young man, Karan, (Tahir Raj Bhasin) who taunts her via frequent calls. (He goes by the name Walt, after Bryan Cranston's character in "Breaking Bad.") In her pursuit, Shivani pistol-whips perps, performs a flying tackle on a criminal astride a motorcycle, shoots an assassin at point-blank range and stabs an assailant through the hand. Her final confrontation with Walt is a sweaty aria of hand-to-hand, semi- believable, martial arts combat.You might call "Mardaani" a South Asian version of the Liam Neeson action-thriller "Taken." But that's too easy. "This is India," Shivani says as she pummels Walt, before his young captives. Almost sold as prostitutes, his captives - egged on by Shivani - kick and stomp his bloody body. In their rage, you can feel the weight of a nation.

One of the best movie i have watched firstly i thought it would be boring or casual same film like others, but after watching this its really good Rani Mukerji(Shivani Shivaji Roy) acting was superb its a great film for all the youths everybody should watch this. In this film Shivani Shivaji Roy, a dedicated and brave police officer with Mumbai Police, chases a Delhi-based kingpin, Karan Rastogi, who runs an organized crime cartel involving child trafficking and drugs.Her aim is to hunt him down and rescue a young teen girl, Pyari after that all secret do watch. :P The film showed how girls are treated what's there future, its very good film i suggest all of u to watch this.. :)

MARDAANI grabs your attention from the commencement and never relents. Padding the proceedings with several intense episodes, MARDAANI eventually becomes the good versus evil fight as the protagonist makes her way to the baddie behind the baddies. On the whole, MARDAANI is relevant, powerful and inspiring with a top notch performance by Rani Mukerji. Worth a watch! MARDAANI is a crime drama, which is packed with action and thrills. Rani Mukerji plays a tough cop who does her job with her heart and mind. She puts in her blood and sweat to bust a human-trafficking racket. The show she puts together on the big screen is simply awesome! Overall, watch it for one and only Rani Mukerji! She will blow your mind!! Hats off to the cast and crew also for delivering a realistic experience with a strong impact leaving us spellbound!!

Rani Mukherjee has been trying a comeback since ages, her last film TALAASH got her good reviews and did well yet she needed a big comeback, her career earlier was ruined due to her continuous films only with Yashraj banner for obvious reasons many which flopped. Pradeep Sarkar too makes a comeback after LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG which was a flop, that film too spoke on prostitution. MARDAANI however is a good film, we have seen women oriented cop films before but the child abuse aspect is brilliantly handled, the film does seem inspired from TAKEN(2008) though not much. The cat and mouse game is superb while the end though filmy is well handled.The film has lot of abuses and skin show(not much) but yet it suits the theme Thankfully there is no romance in the film, only 1 song towards the end too and the going ons are kept quite realistic except at timesDirection is goodRani Mukherjee is superb in her role and nails it, Bhisu Sengupta as her hubby is good, Taahir Bhasin is superb as the villain, rest are all good, including Mona Ambedgaonkar