Writer/Director Motwane impresses in his second cinematic venture
By Deepak Chitnis
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Starring: Sonakshi Sinha, Ranveer Singh, Barun Chanda, Adil Hussain
Not Rated – roughly PG-13 for some violence and mature elements
Grade: B+
WASHINGTON, DC: Lootera, writer/director Vikramaditya Motwane’s first feature since the critical success of his 2010 debut Udaan, is not a film you’d typically expect when looking at its cast and budget. Despite being relatively short at just over two hours, Lootera moves at a deliberate pace, building its characters carefully and drawing the viewer into the story. Some may find the film too slow, with too much emphasis on things like character development and atmosphere, as if those are things to frown upon in the cinema. Personally, I think Lootera benefits enormously by taking its time.
In the Bengali town of Manikpur in 1953, a chance encounter brings a Zamindar (Barun Chanda) and his daughter, Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha), into contact with a young archaeologist named Varun (Ranveer Singh). Varun and his partner Deb (Vikrant Massey) are in town to excavate a plot of land in hopes of finding something of cultural and historical significance hidden beneath the earth. The Zamindar takes a liking to the young, ambitious Varun, and invites the men to stay in his haveli. During their time there, Pakhi and Varun develop a friendship that quickly turns romantic. Meanwhile, the Indian government passes laws to end the reign of the Zamindars in the wake of independence, forcing Pakhi’s father to sell away all his family heirlooms before the government can forcibly seize them. Varun’s loyalty to the aging Zamindar and his love for Pakhi are put to the test, however, when the true reasons for him being in Manikpur are revealed. His actions end up having lasting repercussions for all involved.
Lootera gets a lot of things right. The script, despite appearing slow, actually keeps things moving along at a nice speed, ensuring that the audience is never bored (although the lack of any traditional show-stopping Bollywood numbers may not appeal to most younger viewers). The film is set in the years 1953-1954, and the period details are fantastic. The production design, costumes and makeup are all top-notch. Similarly, Amit Trivedi’s music is strong, effectively recreating the sounds and melodies of both the region and the time period (“Sanwaar Loon” is the highlight of the soundtrack).
The performances are all faultless. Despite starring predominantly in comedies (Dabangg, Rowdy Rathore, Son of Sardaar), Sonakshi Sinha proves equally adept at handling dramatic roles. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have much of a character. Having been brought up by a rich father who clearly gave her everything she ever wanted, Pakhi comes across as an emotionally immature brat more often than not (no mention is ever made of her mother, making one wonder how much different the character could have been with a strong female presence in her life).
Ranveer Singh delivers the best performance of his short career. His character’s line of work doesn’t make him the easiest person to like, but Singh is able to make Varun someone the audience can root for. Predominantly known for comedies as well (Band Baaja Baaraat, Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl), Singh proves he’s even better in a dramatic role, and I look forward to seeing him later this year in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela. The rest of the cast, particularly Adil Hussain (Life of Pi) is fine as well.
If Lootera has one major flaw, it’s that its ending doesn’t seem to pack the emotional punch that was so obviously intended. After a phenomenal first half, some of the energy gets sucked out of the film post-interval. A couple of plausible-but-unlikely coincidences also hinder some of the film’s verisimilitude. The cinematography, though usually brilliant, runs into problems during low-light and nighttime scenes, which feature an abundance of video-related noise and grain that sometimes give the film the look of having been shot on an iPhone.
Nevertheless, Lootera is worth seeking out for those who enjoy more adult-oriented, serious films. So far, 2013 has been a relatively weak year for films, both in Hollywood and Bollywood, but Lootera is a strong effort that would demand attention in any year. These types of period romances are also heavily favored as submissions for the Academy Awards; if Lootera ends up receiving that honor, it may not end up getting a nomination but it certainly wouldn’t be an embarrassment. With strong acting, a fairly unpredictable story, fantastic production values and good music, Lootera is worth a watch.
PS: for those who end up seeing and enjoying Lootera, you may want to check out a film called Jalsaghar (“The Music Room”), a 1959 Bengali film by legendary Indian director Satyajit Ray, which also deals with the decline of the Zamindars in Bengal around the same time that Lootera takes place. The film is considered a classic of Indian cinema and is widely available on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States, as well as on Hulu Plus.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com