JOHNNY GADDAAR
(2007)
Written & Directed by- Sriram Raghavan
*Neil Nitin Mukesh, Rimi, Dharmendra, Zakir Hussain, Vinay Pathak, Dayanand Shetty, Ashwini Kalsekar, Govind Namdeo
And finally! A rewatch with all due preparation.
I watched the two films which are most prominently referenced in Johnny Gaddaar before watching this. They were Parwana and Johny Mera Naam.
Both were decently interesting '70s thrillers which had some nice things to offer. But their contribution to cinema is taken to a higher level with this gem of a Hindi film which weaves its plot around them but adds tons of its original flair and becomes an unforgettable neo-noir and my most favorite film to come out of India in the last decade.
Sriram Raghavan's reference ridden, 70s' Bollywood inspired thriller, which borrows from a lot of classic sources its smart plot points, is a treasured watch.
Every time that I watch it, and I watch it quite often, I am lost in gleeful admiration of this deviously layered film.
A neo-noir which follows a shady protagonist who falls into a circle of lust, greed and murder only to be lost in the trappings of his own device.
But more effective than the serpentine plot is the colorful world that it inhabits. The world of Mumbai.
A Mumbai of cool shades, splashy shirts, seedy gambling dens, bars and discos. A Mumbai of vibrant characters who all have their own quirks, characteristics and agendas.
And when these characters, in this world, come together, and are given to human vices, anything is bound to happen.
The plot is pretty simple at first glance. A gang cracks a deal with a corrupt cop and money is to be transferred between two cities.
But one of the members decides to steal the money midway and elope with his girl.
And so, is set in motion an unprecedented chain of events which follows Murphy's Law with about the same verve as Barjatya films do Hindu festivals.
Surprisingly, the plot never sags in the two hours of runtime. From overcoming one hurdle to the next we are completely absorbed by Vikram's shenanigans.
And therein lies the film's true strength, that despite knowing the identity of the killer we are incredibly invested in the adventures of this doomed protagonist, a nice tip of the hat to two legendary Wilder noirs.
But Johnny Gaddaar is so much more than a good story contained inside a well defined world. It is terrific cinema which scores highly on all fronts.
The casting is sheer perfection. And not just the primary characters, such as Dharmendra's Seshadri, Zakir Hussain's Shardul or Vinay Pathak's Pakya, but even minor characters who inhabit this film leave an impression and manage to stay with you despite fleeting appearances.
Of course, your attention is arrested by this newcomer who delivers a devil of a performance, visibly restrained with evil seething at its seams. Neil Nitin Mukesh showed incredible promise with his debut. But robbing him off the debut Filmfare was not the only time Ranbir
Kapoor left him behind.
Then there's Muraleedharan's snazzy camerawork. The camera flows smoothly and surely and constructs some wonderful and new shots, while also paying homage to some famous signature shots of celebrated filmmakers.
The imagery is dominated by the color red, which forms a recurring motif in the film, just as danger and death.
The editing by Pooja Ladha Surti is ace. The cuts are exquisitely placed and used with marvelous technique, while simultaneously parodying the film's inspirations and also adding greatly to its flavor.
I found the editing to be among the strongest suits of this film.
However, the aspect which soars high over others and remains with you the longest is the film's stupendous music. Some of the choicest tracks from the '70s are compiled along with inspired music from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
The foot-thumping Move Your Body and the thrilling title track stand out among original compositions but they are duly accompanied by truly commendable remixes, such as Johny Breakbeat Mera Naam and Revenge of the '70s.
The film's background score is another bonus which can get you in the mood like clockwork. I, for one can never resist The Caper Begins whenever it turns up on the shuffle.
Johnny Gaddaar is a superior album, masterfully orchestrated and with choice selections from the treasure trove of yesteryear music.
But it is ultimately, Sriram Raghavan's keen direction and supreme eye for detail which towers over the film and makes it the way it is. Quirky, inspired, witty, and well, just damn (near) perfect!
Finally, Johnny Gaddaar becomes more than the sum of its fabulously entertaining parts. Never have I seen a Hindi film so assured and uncompromising about its filmmaking aesthetics while still being massively entertaining and conforming to Bollywood masala norms.
If we were to ever witness the best of both worlds as far as masala and meaningful cinema go in our country, we did that with Johnny Gaddaar.
I'm not saying that this is the best Hindi film ever made, but it is certainly the greatest example of a complete Bollywood Hindi film which doesn't cater to just one breed of audiences.
Rating- 4.5/5
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