Sanju, Movie Review: Ranbir Enraptures In This Untold Story, But Why So Corny & Anti-Media?

It's a Hirani film and you are definitely going to watch it. It has many startling facts which you may not have known. It has India's super actor Ranbir Kapoor. But it has a bit of roughness which could have been polished...

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Sanju, Movie Review: Ranbir Enraptures In This Untold Story, But Why So Corny & Anti-Media?
three stars

Did Sanjay Dutt think of killing himself when the jail verdict was announced? Did a top lawyer tell Sunjay Dutt that he should turn approver and tell the police that the RDX truck was parked in his house? Did Sunil Dutt select the script of Munnabhai MBBS? A lot of information about India's most talked about Bollywood personality, Junior Dutt.

And you can swear on your dearest person living that Rajkumar HIrani couldn't have cast anybody else other than Ranbir Kapoor. That's the first thought that comes to mind as the Munnabhai director's celluloid version of Sanjay Dutt's life begins to engage you from the second reel (the start is a bit off-tangent). A similar thought had crossed our minds when we saw Rockstar, Tamasha and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and RK continues to be in top form, not erring even once in any given frame.

ranbir kapoor manisha koirala and paresh rawal in sanju
Ranbir Kapoor, Manisha Koirala And Paresh Rawal In Sanju

Next up, is Vicky Kaushal who will unfailingly lift several awards for playing RK's Gujju buddy. This is Vicky's best performance- he has gone far ahead of his histrionics in Raazi.

Manisha Koirala and Dia Mirza remind you of the cardinal sin that many filmmakers have committed by erasing them from their memory.

vicky kaushal and ranbir kapoor in sanju
Vicky Kaushal And Ranbir Kapoor In Sanju

Paresh Rawal leaves you with a lump in the throat. What a fine performance. Sunil Dutt must have clapped from God's abode. Yet another case in point of perfect casting.

Raj Kumar Hirani's direction is, as usual, populist.

The music could have been far better, the songs and background both.

ranbir kapor in sanju
Ranbir Kapoor In Sanju

Now for the discerning factors. Vulgarity hits the roof when Ranbir invades Sonam's house to seize alcohol, visits a strip bar and beds Vicky's pink girlfriend. Why have Abhijat Joshi and Raju Hirani made corny stuff in the name of humour a prominent feature in their scripts after the Munnabhai series?

However, several dialogues stand out a) Mera beta koi guzra hua kal nahin hai jo laut ke na aa sake b) Dad, you deserved a better son--- to name just two.

sonam kapoor and ranbir kapoor in sanju
Sonam Kapoor And Ranbir Kapoor In Sanju

But what also hits you, besides the corniness, is that why has the media been painted so black in the film? I mean, yes you can harp on the question mark RDX truck story which seemingly stirred a storm in Dutt's teacup (unarguably an understatement for his sufferings), but so much so that several sweeping statements are made to run down the Fourth Estate? Not done.

Sanju is a smartly made film which conveys the right way to live life, but subtly.

I'll go with THREE.




Image Source: youtube/t-series