Tanqueed - 2.5 stars
Apun Ka Choice - 3.5 stars
AOL Bollywood - 3.5 stars
IANS - 3.5 stars
Rajeev Masand - 2.5 stars
Kaveree Bamzai, India Today - 3.5 stars
Sanjukta Sharma, Livemint - no star rating provided ("not the best, but fun")
Blessy Chettiar, DNA - 3 stars
Syed Firdaus, Rediff - 4 stars
Komal Nahta, Koimoi - 4 stars
Glamsham - 3.5 stars
Spice Zee - 4 stars
Shubhra Gupta, Indian Express - 2 stars
Indiatimes Movies - 4 stars
Sify- 3 stars
Reuters blog - no star rating provided ("not great but good enough")
KK. Rai, Stardust Magazine - 3.5 stars
India.com - 2 stars
Deccan Herald - no star rating provided ("average start" "worth a watch")
Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India - 4 stars
Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times- 3 stars
Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama - 4 stars
Avg. rating - 3.32 stars
(scroll down for full reviews)
Here is the big one - Taran Adarsh gives OUTIM 4 stars!
The fascination with gangster movies has been immense worldwide. On this side of the Atlantic, several gangster films have left giant footprints on the sands of time. Films like DEEWAAR [Yash Chopra], DHARMATMA [Feroz Khan], NAYAKAN [Mani Ratnam], ANGAAR [Shashilal Nair], PARINDA [Vidhu Vinod Chopra], AGNEEPATH [Mukul Anand], SATYA and COMPANY [Ramgopal Varma], VAASTAV [Mahesh Manjrekar], GANGSTER [Anurag Basu], D [Vishram Sawant] and SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA [Apoorva Lakhia] have tremendous recall value to this day.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI recreates an era that so many of us have left behind and for those who arrived on this planet post 80s, I am sure, they must have visited the era through some medium or the other, mainly movies and internet or during their academic careers.
Write your own movie review of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is not part of history, but it attempts to portray on celluloid tales that are now considered legendary, that continue to make news to this date. Of course, the disclaimer claims that it bears no resemblance to a particular person, but you can't help but draw parallels with real-life characters. It could be a coincidence, though!
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is a fascinating story that talks of of how the mafia came into force for the first time in Mumbai. A thriller that depicts the crime scenario in Mumbai during the 70s and 80s. The rise to power of two young boys, in different age-groups, who grew up to 'rule' the streets of Mumbai.
Since there's tremendous speculation in the media that ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI chronicles the lives of Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim, the curiosity to watch the film increases manifold. Of course, I am no one to comment if it's actually based on their lives or merely borrows a few incidents from their lives or is pure fiction, but as a cinematic experience, I couldn't help getting transported to the bygone era, getting sucked into a world I had no clue of.
Besides the gangster chapter, one enjoys this film also because of its riveting drama and the power play. It could've been set anywhere, in the corporate world, in politics, in the film industry. Anywhere. The rise and subsequent fall of the King and the emergence of the Prince as the super power is what makes this film a compelling watch. The icing on the cake is the magical and lilting song compositions that are juxtaposed so beautifully in the goings-on. On the sidelines of the power play, a game of hearts is being played and that's what makes ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI a wholesome movie experience.
Final word? ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is not to be missed. Set everything aside this coming weekend and watch this one. Strongly recommended!
The film, set primarily in 1970s Mumbai, follows the rise of Sultan Mirza [Ajay Devgn] and the conflict that ensues, when his protégé Shoaib Khan [Emraan Hashmi] challenges his supremacy and usurps power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is a power-packed drama that makes you thirst for more. You rewind to an era of romance, smuggling, cabaret and mafia, but director Milan Luthria and writer Rajat Aroraa ensure that there's no sleaze or bloodshed-n-gore. In fact, there's hardly any violent sequence in the movie, except for one when Ajay hammers a cop during a naaka-bandi.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is not a biopic, but narrates the story through the eyes of a police officer [Randeep Hooda], who traces the changing face of the Mumbai underworld. The screenplay encompasses several moments that may compel you to draw parallels with real life, but talking strictly from the movie-going point of view, it satiates you completely. In fact, the writing is cohesive, smart and watertight and there's never a dull moment. Besides, there's no time to think whether it's factual or loosely based on someone's life or a work of fiction.
As I look back and recall the movie, a number of sequences flash across my mind. Note the sequence when Ajay divides the city amongst gangsters... The train sequence at the very start... The introduction of Emraan Hashmi's character... Randeep Hooda's landing on a film set and confiscating the equipment... The subsequent sequence, when Randeep is framed for accepting bribe... The romantic moments between Emraan and Prachi in the jewellery shop... Emraan starting his business and the confrontation that ensues between Ajay and Randeep... The showdown between Ajay and Emraan, with Ajay slapping Emraan in full public view... The conclusion to the story is equally novel. It stays in your memory and sets you thinking.
On the flipside, the story begins with Randeep attempting suicide, but the writer should've cited the reason that prompted him to take that drastic step. Sure, there's a mention at the start, but it doesn't register well. Also, you are keen to know the chain of events that drove Randeep to suicide. Also, the pace slackens in the middle of the second hour, but picks up dramatically when Ajay returns from Delhi and confronts Emraan. Besides, how I wish the film had a shorter, mass appealing Hindi title to attract more eyeballs and a big jump in footfalls [at single screens and smaller centres mainly] for a mass appealing subject like this.
This is director Milan Luthria's best work to date, no two opinions on that. Recreating the bygone era is tough and the director, the writer and the art director [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] deserve brownie points for giving the film that authentic feel. In fact, the film wears a chic retro look throughout. Even otherwise, Milan's handling of the subject material is exemplary. This film is sure to catapult him to the top league. Rajat Aroraa's screenplay is powerful and engaging. The writer marries heavy-duty drama and subtle and delicate emotions beautifully. I would like to make a special note of the dialogue, also penned by Rajat Aroraa, which are simply fantastic. In fact, the dialogue writing is such it elevates even an ordinary sequence to great levels. One rarely comes across such potent dialogue in today's times.
Pritam's music is another ace. Injecting songs and that too a terrific soundtrack in a gangster film is tough. He did it in GANGSTER. He does it again in ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI. 'Pee Loon', 'Tum Jo Aaye' and the remix of APNA DESH track are super compositions, which are also placed appropriately in the plotline. Cinematography [Aseem Mishra] captures the look to perfection. Akiv Ali's editing is sharp.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is embellished with fantastic performances. Ajay Devgn is splendid as Sultan. The actor had enacted a similar role in COMPANY, but it must be said that his interpretation is so different in ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI. He adds so much depth to the character, which only goes to prove his range and versatility. This is, without a trace of doubt, Ajay's finest work so far. Emraan Hashmi is brilliant as the power greedy, wildly ambitious rebel. He plays the dark character to perfection. He's incredible in the penultimate moments of the film in particular. Besides carrying the look to perfection, Emraan is sure to break-free from the lover boy, serial kisser image with this film.
Kangna Ranaut is extremely natural and performs very well. Also, she brings so much of sensuality and glamour to her character [an actress of the 70s]. In fact, Ajay and Kangna make a wonderful on-screen pair. Prachi Desai is a bundle of talent who proves her mettle yet again. She's proficient in emotional scenes and sizzles in the BOBBY song-sequence. Besides, the chemistry between Emraan and Prachi is exciting. Randeep Hooda is top notch. Even though the film belongs to Ajay and Emraan, Randeep makes his presence felt with a powerful performance. This film should prove to be the turning point in his career.
Avtar Gill [as Home Minister] is good. Naved Aslam [as Patrick, Ajay's trusted lieutenant] is perfect. Mehul Bhojak [as Emraan's friend Javed] is competent. Ravi Khanwilkar [as Vardhan] is satisfactory. Gauhar Khan sizzles in the remix track.
On the whole, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is an extremely well-made film that lingers in your memory. The realism coupled with stellar direction, power-packed writing, exceptional performances and ear-pleasing tunes are its trump cards. An outstanding cinematic experience!
Not surprising at all, always seemed like a winner.
ReplyDeleteEkta seems to be unable to do anything wrong. After super successful TV, she has done well in movies as well.
Would definitely like to see this one, though still don't know how awesome is the idea to present Haji and Dawood kinda guys like heroes, but lets see what it has in store for us.
Looks like Ekta has spent some moolah on publicity - the review has come so early in these days of everyone being afraid of early reviews :D
ReplyDeleteOnce Upon A Time In Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteDirector: Milan Luthria
Actors: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi
Rating: ***
Sultan Mirza turns into a bit of a Mirza Ghalib over a few drinks. Or so his girlfriend (Kangna Ranaut) suggests. A
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* PHOTOS: Once Upon a time in Mumbaai stills
woman's deep attraction to powerful men, at its bizarre state, reveals itself in the shape of the ‘gun moll’. The examples are aplenty.
The girlfriend here is a ‘70s film actor. Sultan’s the dominant Mafiosi. His life, she tells him, could make for a great film: “You don’t need to act. There’s a new boy Amit. He has eyes just like yours. They speak volumes.”
The scene refers to Amitabh Bachchan of course, and perhaps a story that later became Yash Chopra’s Deewar in ‘75. The actor before you is Ajay Devgn. You tend to agree with the parallel drawn.
Few actors in mainstream films manage a self-assured, under-stated swagger, convey so much silently, sometimes just with their glance and droopy eyes. It’s a camera art. Bachchan perfected it as the ‘angry young man’. Devgn, you can tell, is his fine successor.
The film starts off with a disclaimer on his lead character: “He bears absolutely no resemblance to the life of late Mr Haji Mastan.” Another gent in this film (Emraan Hashmi) appears with passion for good things in life, and a moustache that thickly tilts at the edges, hides the smirk within. He’s a young, plumpish, short Shoaib, small-time hustler with a police constable for a father. He runs an electronics shop gifted him by the don Sultan, his father’s acquaintance from work. The neighbourhood seems a crowded Dongri.
Note: “not Haji Mastan”; but no such disclaimer for the secure Dawood Ibrahim. I still don’t know a film that calls attention to its supposed source, with its stated denial alone. It works!
A cop who’s just attempted suicide quite lamely narrates for the audience this film’s story: of a dockworker, who migrates at young age to Bombay, and rises rapidly into a world of deceit and infamy. The scenes are but lazily, linearly chapterised.
Laws change. As do definitions. A smuggler of gold, watches or transistors once, would be an importer now.
Sultan, the film suggests, became a strange kind of icon among the impatient youth, the sorts of Shoaib. Business leaders, some of them with questionable pasts (or present), are revered similarly these days. Sultan’s position was also unique because he bought peace for the city by dividing its pieces -- Colaba to Tardeo, Bandra to Versova, Dharavi to Dadar… -- among his rivals, Vardhan, Pathan, Vishnu et al: “Why make enemies, when you can make friends out of them.” The law of Omerta was complete. Until the upstart Shoaib shattered the status quo. Sultan himself developed political ambitions.
Ram Gopal Varma’s Company (2002) was supposedly based on the split between Dawood and his second-in-command Chhota Rajan, in the same way this one refers to Haji Mastan and his protégé Dawood’s break-up.
Movies, I suspect, bear myth-making qualities beyond literature. The medium is too recent to judge for its place in history. But already, films like Mughal-e-Azam or Sholay appear mythologies to rival epics in public consciousness. So do Mumbai’s underworld dons, though for all you know, their real lives may not be fractionally as exciting as their fictional ones on screen. The subject is immediately exhilarating still. As is this film.
Luthria rightly recreates retro from the ‘70s. And this is not just in the low angles of the shots; strange prints on expensive nylon shirts; or trumpets for a background score. It’s most importantly in the sense of the big screen occasion, and a throwback to smart, terse dialogue.
A bit of Salim-Javed then, and a whole lot of early Varma! Both aren't easy to scale. This one's the best effort I’ve seen in long.
SOURCE: Hindustan Times
Seen through the eyes of a police officer, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI traces the changing face of the Mumbai underworld and how it all started.
ReplyDeleteThe film, set primarily in 1970s Mumbai, follows the rise of Sultan (Ajay Devgn), and the conflict, when his protege Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), challenges his supremacy, and usurps power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai.
The film is presented in a retro chic style and is a glamorous and powerful rewind to the golden era. A super-entertaining rewind to the era of romance, smuggling, cabaret and the mafia.
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai film is based on the history of Haji Mastan the first celebrity “Don” of India who later reformed, and is about the early gangster and smuggling phase in Mumbai, in the 60s and 70s and revolves around the birth of Mumbai Mafia in the 70s and 80s. Mastan was responsible in introducing Dawood to world of crime and gradually passed him the power, himself retiring to path of amendment.
Source: http://www.funnjin.com/once-upon-a-time-in-mumbai-review/
Really good reviews, though early reviews are not to be trusted, still, pretty good start for the movie. I think Kekta has again hit the bullseye.
ReplyDeleteA word about:
ReplyDeletePerformances: Excellent, across the board. Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi grab eyeballs, like never before, as do the other characters. The girls -- Kangna and Prachi -- are sheer gossamer.
Story: Rajat Arora reinvents drama in contemporaray cinema.
Dialogues: Awesome. Some of the most compelling conversations you've heard of late on screen.
Cinematography: Aseem Mishra serenades old world Mumbai with love and nostalgia.
Music: Pritam creates a lilting track, with a special mention for Pee Loon.
Styling: The 1970s is re-created with pizzazz. Watch out for the Bobby knotted choli sequence, donned by a shy and sweet Prachi. Adorable.
Inspiration: 1970s. The Mumbai underworld.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/hindi/Once-Upon-A-Time-In-Mumbaai/moviereview/6233244.cms
4.5 stars by TOI, thats awesome....
ReplyDeleteThis is turning out to be quite well for Kekta
With 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai', director Milan Luthria successfully recreates the 70s era of powerful gangsters.
ReplyDeleteHigh on drama, 'OUATIM' makes one anticipate what is going to happen next rather than predict the next episode in the tale.
Even though it is not hard to draw parallels between this Ajay Devgn - Emraan Hashmi starrer with Ram Gopal Varma's 'Company', the treatment is so different that one doesn't mind faint similarities when it comes to the storyline of the two movies.
The treatment is what makes a complete difference because Milan has ensured that the film delivers what is expected from a film belonging to a different time. So whether it is the costumes, sets, backdrop or the vehicles - one is instantly transported to the era gone by.
Writer Rajat Arora has included some of the best dialogues and punchlines in the film.
Whether it is the 'anger' of Ajay Devgn who is the reigning smuggler, the arrogance and high headedness of Emraan Hashmi who wants to be known as the don, the sophistication of Kangna Ranaut who is a top actress or the submission of Prachi Desai who has a conscience of her own - it's the dialogues that elevate the proceeding along with a good score by Pritam.
Acting is another strong point in the film. Ajay Devgn tops once again in an intense role where he has never failed. Though he was completely short-changed in 'Raajneeti', he makes sure that through his immense screen presence he gets the most crucial scenes for himself in the movie.
The biggest surprise is Emraan Hashmi, right from his 70s look, the way he dresses up and gradually turns into a ruthless don, this is easily his best act ever. It should help him grow out of his lothario image. Randeep Hooda, who narrates the entire story, has a parallel part to play and he too comes up with his best act till date.
As for Kangna, who draws inspiration from everyone including Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi and Neetu Singh, it is a welcome change to see her doing a soft role in comparison to the schizophrenic characters that she has been laden with. Prachi becomes far more comfortable than her 'Rock On' and 'Life Partner' days and is a complete natural. It is good to see her shed her inhibitions for camera.
The first 20-minutes are just about okay with not much screen time spent in establishing how the character of Ajay Devgn turned into such a huge force.
Also, the love story between him and Kangna, makes one a little restless as you wait for the drama to kick start with Emraan Hashmi arriving on the scene. The film does give a sense of ending in a little abrupt manner as one doesn't gets a sense of a climax build up. An epilogue sequence may have helped to get a better culmination.
However, leaving aside an average start and a sudden ending, the middle two hours of OUATIM make film a worth watch.
Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/84628/punchlines-power-packed-performances-elevate.html
Oops I guess I was wrong about 4.5 stars of TOI, its the article rating... :D
ReplyDeleteOnce Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteMihir Fadnavis, India.com
2 stars
A collection of predictable clichés
Guns get drawn. Bullets fly. Blood spills. Dialogue-baazi ensues. You've seen it all before.
Real gangsters in India often love Bollywood gangster films, but it's a safe bet that Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai won't be on their all-time hit list. I've had more interesting, and dare I say, thematically complex bowel movements than this overtly long point-and-shoot exercise in gimmicky crime drama. The movie generates plot points with a degree of randomness usually achieved only by lottery drawing. It just doesn't seem to know where to go with all of its attitude, so it winds up going exactly where you'd expect. As a longtime writer, Rajat Arora (Family: Ties of blood) has steered clear of most of the hoary organized-crime clichés. Instead, he's poured them all into director Milan Luthria's anemic urban drama.
Putting the faces of hot young stars on the same old parts doesn't make the movie any fresher. The setup of Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai is good enough for a modern crime saga - desperadoes, corrupt law, doublecrosses and showdowns. But the writing/directing team of Arora and Luthria (Taxi No 9211)have no idea how to handle the material or where to take it. The execution is lazy enough for a straight-to-Moserbaer title and we're left yawning awaiting for all the principle players to arrive in bumblefudge so we can finally have a shootout. Everything up until then is a series of uninteresting saw-it-coming-and-in-other-movies plot points and some macho bravado that doesn't aspire to the kind of accompanying tough talk that is the least a film like this could provide.
The saddest thing about Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai is its lame aspiration for grasping the coolness vibes when in fact the film isn't as flippant or slick as it thinks it is. This is a very fuzzy film sporting more bad Underworld Don accents and Bollywood gangster-movie cliches than 2005's 'D' which, all things considered, is hard to do. The friends, the neighborhood, the loyalty, the bloodshed, Devgan playing an iconic bad-ass ... feel free to stop me when all this stops sounding familiar. Perhaps the only remotely energetic aspect of the project is the fact that characters occasionally use words with more than two syllables. Devgan and Hashmi manage nice camaraderie in their roles of Sultan Mirza (Haji Mastan) and Shoaib Khan (Dawood Ibrahim), but the two characters come across as frustratingly bland, repugnant and even dunderheaded - in some cases, all three - for viewers to invest much emotional interest.
The stylized visuals do add some spice, but they cannot overcome the formulaic and obvious screenplay, which is of no help to a film that is structured as a crime drama - based on the lives of two real life gangsters who're on the wanted list of Interpol at that. The female leads Kangana Ranaut and Prachi Desai are completely eclipsed by their male counterparts and are reduced to sleepwalking trough their roles - they're merely props used to put audiences in a repetitious loop of navel-gazing. The supporting cast is just about ok, the original 'D' Randeep Hooda shows sparks of brilliance. Pritam's music, barring 'Pee Loon' induces migraine.
Final verdict? 'Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai' is like 'Company' and 'Satya' crammed into a sardine tin. It will be of interest only to male viewers who are addicts of RGV-meets-bling-&-kitsch gangster-life frolics. And it will only satisfy those who can't tell the difference between the good, the bad and the ugly.
Sorry, forgot to give the link for India.com review. Here it is:
ReplyDeleteIndia.com review
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteK.K. Rai, Stardust Magazine
3.5 stars
The plot of the flick is set in the seventies and unfolds though the eyes of a police officer (Randeep Hooda), who was himself the witness of these changing times and changing face of Mumbai city. There are two main players Sultan Mirza (Ajay Devgn), who rules the underworld of Mumbai and Shoaib Khan (Emraan Hashmi), who is his protégé.
After the rise and consolidation of Sultan’s power over the underworld, the film also traces the rise of Shoaib to power. However, Shoaib’s rise to power can not be smooth as the conflict with Sultan was bound to happen.
In the meantime, when Sultan returns from his Delhi trip and confronts Shoaib about the whole issue, the whole matter comes to head. Finally, the film shows through conflicts the process of usurpation of power from Sultan and how it goes into the hands of Shoaib, who now becomes the new lord of Mumbai’s underworld.
The storyline has some connectivity to real life incidences of past Mumbai dons and it can bee seen clearly. However, it might just be a sheer coincidence and no conscious copying from someone’s life history.
Though the climax of the story is novel and would be loved by audiences, the second half of the story loses steam midway and it shows in the screenplay. However, presence of powerful performers like Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi ably savor the film at that point.
Read more at Stardust Magazine review
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteShilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters blog
Milan Luthria’s “Once Upon A Time in Mumbai” is a mostly-gripping, but dumbed-down mafia thriller that focuses on two men who dominated the Mumbai underworld for the most part of the seventies and eighties.
Despite denials from the makers of the film, it is easy to see that the story is based on underworld don Haji Mastan and his one-time protégé Dawood Ibrahim.
Luthria takes us back to the era of handlebar moustaches, bell bottomed pants and the Mumbai of the 70’s, which, if you live in South Mumbai, doesn’t seem vastly different from what it is now.
Ajay Devgan plays smuggler Sultan Mirza, who is like a modern day Robin Hood who, we are told, controls all of Mumbai. He gives hundreds of rupees to beggars, takes care of his men and smuggles “only things that the government doesn’t permit, not things that my conscience doesn’t allow”.
In order to stop his illegal activities, an upcoming police officer (Randeep Hooda) uses the old trick of using one criminal against the other, allowing a young upstart, Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), to infiltrate Mirza’s gang and gain his confidence, sure that Shoaib’s own ambition of ruling Mumbai will ensure a clash between the two.
As he tells a fellow police officer, “When two trains are on opposite sides of the same track, there is bound to be a clash, but I only want the track clean, I don’t care about the trains.”
This is just one of the many dialogues that make the film worth a watch. Written by Rajesh Arora, the film is littered with clever gems which will make you laugh and sit up and take note.
Luthria also keeps up a fairly even pace, so you aren’t bored. I do wish he hadn’t concentrated on the love tracks of the two men, and focus instead on their equation with each other and the circumstances that built them.
We hardly see anything of Sultan’s rise to the top, which is finished off in a couple of flashback sequences, while Luthria spends at least 20 minutes and two songs to his love affair with Rehana (Kangana Ranaut, who needs diction lessons urgently).
Also, a lot of the situations are simplified, including the heists that the two pull off that reeks of a dumbed-down script.
Ajay Devgan shines in the more restrained performance of the two male leads, putting in the right amount of aggression and angst when needed.
Emraan Hashmi is a good foil to the former, but the two female leads Kangana Ranaut and Prachi Desai have one-dimensional characters with nothing to do but act as sounding boards for the men in their lives as they rant and rave about each other.
This film did have the potential to be great, but it stops short of that. As it stands though, this is a good enough film, one that has quite a lot going for it.
Reuters blog
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteSonia Chopra, Sify
3 stars
There’s not much to dislike, really. Here a slick product with great acting, and a gripping storyline set to a thumping background score.
Stories about two warring gangsters whether set in the ‘70s or the present time somehow roll out predictably in our films. There’s the god-like leader who gives a cheeky brat a real chance at proving himself. The brat, as envisioned, turns out an asset (just like Vivek Oberoi’s character in Company, interestingly also pitted against Ajay Devgn). As per pattern, the newbie eventually transforms into his mentor’s nemesis.
The film is set in the ‘70s and ‘80s to replicate an era that seems to have been the inspiration for this story. For this was the time when dreaded smuggler Haji Mastan and protege Dawood Ibrahim ruled Mumbai’s underworld (though a carefully worded disclaimer squashes any resemblance).
As for the viewer, they might experience a sense of deja vu when they see Sultan (Ajay Devgn), a smuggling kingpin battle it out with his trusted protege Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi). The reasons for their disagreements are fundamental: for all his illegal doings, Sultan is against trading in drugs and liquor (reminding you of a similar conflict in The Godfather), while Shoaib sees no moral issues there. Like in Company, both are in committed relationships that anchor them emotionally.
The film falls into another well-known ‘cop-gangster movie’ trap: the unreal (though very arresting and entertaining) dialogue. Almost every character, from ACP Agnell Wilson (Randeep Hooda) to the bad guys speak in a quaint manner using long-winded phrases to make a point. For example, Shoaib describes his ambition while smoking a cigarette, “Bambai mere neeche, aur mein dhuan ki tarah upar.”
Read more at Sify review
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteGaurav Malani, Indiatimes Movies
4 stars
Once upon a time in Hindi cinema there used to be the writer duo of Salim-Javed who induced drama in every scene merely by their metaphorical dialogues.
Once upon a time in Hindi cinema there used to be directors like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra, known for their high-voltage sagas, who devised filmi formula, which if not used with the requisite panache, could end up becoming corny clichés.
Once upon a time in Hindi cinema there used to be actors of the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna who confronted through the intensity of eyes and their synchronized conversations.
That time was the retro era of the 70s, the period in which this underworld drama is set. And the film gets the best of the era it revisits, reviving the combined cinematic charm of Salim-Javed, Manmohan Desai and Amitabh Bachchan.
Director Milan Luthria recreates the underworld of 70s in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai with as much glamour and flamboyance as Farah Khan recreated the cine-world of 70s in the retroactive Om Shanti Om. There’s smuggling, cabaret, a Robin Hood don, vintage Mercedes cars, the quintessential Bollywood backdrop, R D Burman overtones in music, dramatic dialogue-baazi and substantial style.
The film presents to you two equally powerful protagonists who are so strongly written charismatic characters that at no point they lose their onscreen heroism. And then it gives you the more difficult task – to choose between these two glorified gangsters.
Read more here: Indiatimes
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteShubhra Gupta, Indian Express
2 stars
A scene in the film takes you swooping up to one of Mumbai’s high-rises, from where an ambitious hood surveys the twinkling fairy-tale cusp of Marine Drive, and calls the city a `mehbooba’ which will slip out of his grasp if he loosens his fist. The time is the 70s, when the city, still formally Bombay, was informally divvied up between a bunch of gangsters. `Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai’ is the latest homage to the romantic myth of Haji Mastan, the gangster who once upon a time owned the city, and has never since let go of our imaginings.
The challenge in a film like this, which entwines mobsters and `mehboobas’, is to make it all new, because of the past classics which have soared with the same dramatis personae. Milan Luthria rises only partially to it : he starts off well, and carries on as he means to, but then falls into the trap of the familiar. `Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai’ doesn’t match up to that spectacular scene where the city lies below, in all its glittery splendour, never quite becoming the great retro chic gangster flick that it sets out to be.
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The big strengths of the slickly shot film are the two principal leads, Ajay Devgn and Kangana Ranaut. As Sultan Mirza, Devgn breathes freshness into a character we’ve seen several times before ( he’s done it himself in `Company’), his rise to the top of the mafia pile speedily etched : the soot-laden lad who shovels coal all day long on the docks turns into a man who dresses all in white, all the time, and engages in black-marketeering of an order the country had never witnessed before, the smuggled Johnny Walkers and the Wrangler jeans and the gold coins pouring in through Bombay’s porous shoreline.
Read more here: Indian Express
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteSpice Zee
4 stars
One thing is for sure that in ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai’, you are not going to see just the relics of past, which are now considered legendary and something which even today continue to excite the psyche of us Indians. Here’s on offer is a loosely based film on real life dons who ruled the Mumbaai heartland in 70’s - a fictional tale of the clash of the titans and bhaigiri of the time.
Nevertheless, the disclaimer clearly states that it bears no resemblance to a particular person, but you can`t help but draw parallels.
The story takes you to the era of underworld dons who ruled Mumbai, the politics and the terrorised Bollywood honchos. Set primarily in 1970, the films talks about how the mantle of leadership was wrenched form the teacher to a protégé. It follows the rise of Sultan (Ajay Devgn), and his eventual fall, when his second-in-command Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), challenges his supremacy, and usurps power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai.
But the gangster chapter is not the only high point of the film. One even enjoys this film also because of its riveting drama and the power play. It could`ve been set anywhere, in the corporate world, in politics, in the film industry. Moreover, the rise and subsequent fall of the King and the emergence of the Prince as the super power is what makes this film a compelling watch.
The best part however is the magical and heartrending song compositions that are poignantly placed at the just the right junctures, making the film sail smooth through the rough gang wars and violent actions jerks. The music, especially the track “Pee Lu” is splendid. It gives the feeling of the golden era lost and forgotten.
A little romance, a game of hearts played at the backdrop of a mafia epic makes it even more dangerous, eventually making it a fulsome movie experience.
Director Milan Luthria’s has worked extensively for the movie which is completely visible in performances of the lead gangster’s as well as Randeep hooda as the tale narrating police officer. The jewellery shop romantic scenes of Prachi’s stands out on romantic stratum and the instances of Emraan’s conflict with Ajay are absolutely spell-bounding. The war of the two superpowers looks intense, dark and real.
Pritam’s music is already rising up the charts and doing the trick for the movie. The onscreen pair of Ajay and Kangna is replete with amazing chemistry. You are going to enjoy this more than just the battle of the dons!
SOURCE: Spice Zee
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeletePankaj Sabnani, Glamsham
3.5 stars
Most gangster films have something about them which is intriguing. It's perhaps the larger-than-life image of the characters (gangsters), which is very alluring. Be it SATYA, COMPANY or BLACK FRIDAY, all have hit the right notes with the audiences. ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI is no exception and comes as a respite after a bundle of flops in the recent past. Post RAAJNEETI, it's good to see Ajay Devgn back in action with his one liners and intense facial expressions. Milan Luthria, with this one, makes a great impact as a story teller. The retro theme of the film makes one nostalgic experience with great dialogues reminding you of the glorious Amitabh Bachchan days in DEEWAR.
Coming back to OUATIM... the film traces the life of Sultan (Ajay Devgn) from the day he lands up on the shores of Bombay (it was Bombay back in the post independence era) as a kid. He wants to make it big in life. As he grows up, he takes up smuggling and soon becomes a force to reckon with. But he has his own set of principles. Jab dost banane se kaam hota hai, to dushmani kyun? (When work can be done through friendship, then why make enemies?) is his belief. He does the wrong things in the right way, without going against his conscience. His benevolent nature makes him a favourite amongst the masses. Enters Shoaib Khan (Emraan Hashmi), who is willing to traverse forbidden paths to attain power. He starts off as Sultan's protegee but has treacherous plans to usurp him.
Although the film has a disclaimer in the very beginning saying that it is not based on the life of Haji Mastan, it seems to have an uncanny similarity to his personality as also to Dawood's. No matter about the similarity, the bottomline is, it works big time.
Milan Luthria takes his time to establish the characters in the fist half. Narrated by a cop (Randeep Hooda), after his futile suicide attempt, you are acquainted with the setting and mannerisms of the characters. The train scene involving Sultan is riveting. The blooming love story between Sultan and actress Rehana (Kangana Ranaut) is refreshing and so is the romance between Shoaib Khan and Mumtaz (Prachi Desai). Watch out for the scene in which Shoaib gifts alcohol to Mumtaz.
Read more here: Glamsham
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai
ReplyDeleteKomal Nahta, Koimoi.com
4 stars
Star cast: Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai, Randeep Hooda.
Plot: Ajay is an underworld don in Bombay in the seventies, and Emraan is his protégé. But soon, Emraan wants to rule the underworld, much like Ajay. So what does he do?
What’s Good: The script, the performances, the dialogues, the music, the background score.
What’s Bad: Nothing really!
Verdict: OUATIM works for all age groups, for men and women, for cities and towns, for masses and classes.
Loo break: None at all! Pee loon is fine but no pee, no loo, while the movie is on!
Balaji’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (UA) is a film about how the underworld became strong in Bombay in the ’seventies and the ’eighties. Loosely based on the lives of two underworld dons, it talks about how power corrupts.
Read more at Koimoi
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteSyed Firdaus, Rediff
4 stars
Once Upon A Time In Mumbai [ Images ] there was Bollywood which used to give us great films, but not anymore. Hopes of seeing great films from today's filmmakers seem lost.
Once you watch Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, however, all hope is not lost. Watch the trailer here.
Once Upon A Time there were writers like Salim-Javed in Bollywood.
Once again, we have found such a writer in Rajat Aroraa. Watch the film and you will understand. By the way, Rajat, where were you hiding all this while?
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai there was an actor called Randeep Hooda [ Images ] who was written off.
Once again, he's back with a bang as ACP Agnel Wilson.
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai there was Ajay Devgn [ Images ] who floored us with his role of Malik Saab in Ram Gopal Varma's [ Images ] Company.
Once again he returns to top form with his role of Sultan Mirza.
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai there was Emraan Hashmi [ Images ] who acted brilliantly and smooched girls with aplomb.
Once again he has acted brilliantly as Shoaib. The smooches, however, are missing this time.
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai there was a genre of music in Bollywood that we used to love, dhan-tanan-tananan.
Once again Tananan Tananan, Tananan, Taan Taan returns. You've got to hear it to believe it.
Once Upon A Time Bollywood used to give us melodious music.
Once again, we find that in this film. Pritam [ Images ], I am speechless.
Once Upon A Time in Bollywood, heroines had little to do in a film.
Once again, Kangna Ranaut [ Images ] and Prachi Desai [ Images ] have little to do. After all, this is a gang war movie.
Once Upon A Time our film critic Raja Sen would have reviewed this film.
Once again, thank you Raja for going on a sabbatical so that I could review this film instead of you.
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai, I saw a great movie on Thrusday night.
Once again, I am going to see it on Saturday with my family and again on Sunday.
Once Again, you are reading my stupid review.
Once again, I am reminding you to book your tickets for this film.
Once Again, you're still reading this review. Stop and go buy a ticket. Now!
Once Upon A Time in Mumbai there was a director Milan Luthria who made Kacche Dhage with Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan [ Images ] and then lost it.
Once again, he is back. Thank You, Milan.
SOURCE: Rediff
One of the best reviewed movie in recent times, its a sure shot winner.
ReplyDeleteOnce Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteSanjukta Sharma, Livemint
In pulp fiction, few characters can parallel the benevolent don. He is an outlaw, rebel, smuggler and killer. But he has heart. Ghettoized men and women admire him and depend on him for cash and protection. In public consciousness and criminal lore, he swims in apocryphal waters—and is difficult to hate outright. In Milan Luthria’s Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Sultan Mirza (Ajay Devgn) is one such don. He arrives in Mumbai as an adolescent runaway from Tamil Nadu, slogs at the docks, which earns him some money, and goes on to rule over a smuggling fiefdom—smuggling, mostly gold, watches and transistors.
The film has a disclaimer right at the beginning denying the maker’s earlier claims that Sultan Mirza is a celluloid version of Haji Mastan—the reformed smuggler who became a politician—in order to appease Mastan’s family who took producer Balaji to court. The disclaimer speaks volumes. Sultan is, of course, Haji Mastan whose life is the stuff of Mumbai underworld annals, and therefore public knowledge.
The other man in this drama is the petty thief and son of a police constable from Dongri, Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), who cockily challenges policemen when he is a toddler, falls in love with the power that oozes from a gun—and with a pretty and docile jewellery salesgirl played by Prachi Desai. He becomes Sultan’s kingpin.
Sultan is in love with Rehana (Kangna Ranaut), the quintessential 1970s gun moll. She is a Hindi film star who becomes Sultan’s lover. The story is narrated in flashback by Agnel (Randeep Hooda), a steely cop who, while taking on the two men heads on, unintentionally rocked Mumbai’s establishment.
Read full review here: Livemint review
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
ReplyDeleteBlessy Chettiar, DNA
3 stars
A disclaimer at the beginning of Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai warns you against drawing comparisons between lead character Sultan Mirza (Devgn) and the late smuggler Haji Mastan Mirza. You would only be foolish to believe it.
Unfolding through the eyes of ACP Agnel Wilson (Hooda), the film tracks the rise of dua-hungry Sultan as a smuggler in the 1970s. Wilson, who is grilled after a suicide attempt, narrates the story of Sultan and his power-hungry protégé Shoaib Khan, on a mission to take over from his mentor.
The film explores the testy relationship between Sultan and Shoaib, reportedly based on Mastan and gangster Dawood Ibrahim.
The first half delineates the characters in question, their good, bad and ugly sides. It tracks Sultan’s rise from a flood victim to a soot-laden industrious bloke to a gangster having command over the Arabian Sea, which he uses to smuggle goods into the country.
Falling in love with Bombay and playing a messiah of the poor is something that characterises Sultan, who has a clean conscience despite the criminal empire he lords over. In stark contrast is the shady Shoaib, who has wicked plans to gain power over mehbooba Mumbai.
The romantic angle of the action drama is provided by flesh-and-blood mehboobas, actress Rehana (Kangna Ranaut) and coy salesgirl Mumtaz (Prachi Desai). We see the softer sides of hard-core criminals Sultan and Shoaib when they are with their respective love interests.
The film paints a very real picture of the Bombay of the 1970s, making it something of a reference point for those born after that decade.
The dialogues are, perhaps, the best part of the film. They pack a punch and make the audience sympathise with or abhor the characters delivering them. When Sultan says, “Main woh kaam karta hoon jiski ijaazat sarkar nahi deti. Main woh kaam nahi karta jiski ijaazat mera zameer nahi deta,” you want to join the crook in defending his wrongdoings. Shoaib’s comparison of the division of Mumbai into five parts with the mythological Draupadi leaves you in splits.
Full review here: DNA review
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai
ReplyDeleteKaveree Bamzai, India Today
3.5 stars
Have you ever seen a filmi film? The kind of film where everything is larger than life? The bullet hits the Rolex which stops so you know a man's time is up? The woman has a hole in the heart and has only a few years to live? The man looks out at the sea and wants it to be in his "baahen" (arms)? Heroines flutter their false eyelashes and fans get signatures on Rs 1,000 notes which they then tear with great flourish. Films spout lines such as, "Main tumhare bachche ki maa banne wali hoon."
Well, Milan Luthria's film is that sort of film. It's overwritten, over acted, overcharged but also super fun. Nothing is simple here. Every dialogue is like a philosophical statement. "Jab dost bana kar kaam ho sakta hai to dushman kyon banaye," says Devgn's Sultan Mirza as he speaks to the dons of Mumbai--each one has had a movie made on him. "Jinki manzil ek hai woh raaste par hi milte hai," so says the heroine to her soon-to-be hero. As everyone knows the story is a fictional recreation of the rise of Mumbai's underworld, of the replacement of the gentler anti-social smuggling of Haji Mastan with the hard nosed, hard hearted gangsterism of Dawood Ibrahim. Devgn is Mirza/Mastan and Emraan Hashmi is Shoaib/Dawood. Mirza has his Madhubala (?) and Shoaib has his Mandakini. Mirza has his all white attire and Shoaib has his all black heart. Mirza is a boy who came to Mumbai in a "machli ki tokri" and Shoaib is the son of an honest police officer.
Yes, yes, with some changes of character here and there it could be Company. It is not, not even because of Devgn's presence. It is part costume drama, part period film and part crime thriller. It is also all glamour, from the hair on Kangna's elaborate wigs to the tips of Devgn's white shoes. Luthria, a Bollywood talent who has for one reason or the other, been languishing on the periphery should come full front and centre with this, fullfilling the early promise of Kache Dhage. He is in command of his film, however melodramatic it may be. A love letter to Mumbai, this is a film that trots out every possible placard signalling it is the 70s. Yes, "Amit" has the intense eyes required to play Mirza in a film (Deewar, anyone?). Yes, Bobby's polka dot lie-up shirt and hot pants became quite the rage. Yes, Mastan was a Robin Hood character who helped the poor whenever he could. And yes, Dawood was a new age criminal who believed the "ghoda" (gun) was the source of all power and the supari was the solution for all ills.
Read full review here: India Today
Rajeev Masand 2.5/5
ReplyDeleteDespite its dhinchak background score and colorful palette, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai is a less stylish film than Ramgopal Varma’s Company, whose basic plot it so closely resembles.Director Milan Luthria revisits the familiar tale of a powerful don and his fallout with his ambitious protégé. In setting the film in the 70s, Luthria borrows much of that period’s cinematic style. Every line is a punch line, every dialogue a clap-trap. The nostalgia is enjoyable initially, and the film successfully evokes the spirit of those Amitabh Bachchan starrers of the 70s. But you become numb to the impact of the dialogues when even supporting characters and bit players speak in clever quips.Playing a character loosely inspired by Haji Mastan, Ajay Devgan stars as Sultan, a swaggering smuggler who divides the city into zones, allocating one each to his rivals, and assigning the sea to himself for plunder. The uncharacteristically principled Sultan becomes the reigning don of the city, until his supremacy is challenged by greedy upstart Shoaib (played by Emraan Hashmi), a character modeled after the young Dawood Ibrahim.Relying more on treatment than content, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai moves along at a leisurely pace, its central conflict showing up only after intermission. Movies set in the underworld suck you in with their authentic feel and innate drama, but to be honest, drama and action are conspicuous by their absence in this film.Take the scene in which Sultan approaches film actress Rehana (played by Kangana Ranaut), hoping to woo her with a fruit. It’s a terrific, original idea for a romantic scene, unfortunately never fully exploited for its dramatic potential. Even the film’s tense climax is ultimately ruined, overrun as it is by a lofty political bhashan.Of the cast, Randeep Hooda oozes sufficient confidence as the cop determined to save the city from the clutches of these dangerous men. Kangana Ranaut is a tad awkward in the role of a gangster’s moll, although there is tenderness in the love between her and Devgan’s character. Emraan Hashmi puts in a sincere turn as Shoaib, but he lacks the charisma that stalks a ruthless don, or the recklessness and urgency of a small-time gangster climbing the ladder.The film’s biggest strength is unquestionably Ajay Devgan who brings freshness to a part we’ve seen so many times before. He has a scorching presence, and he knows how to use it. Watch the imperious tone Devgan takes as he asks a lackey to clean up the city after Hashmi’s ruthless dealings. Or the scene in which he comes up with witty replies to his girlfriend’s riddles when she’s unpacking the gifts she’s brought him for his birthday.Devgan’s performance rises above the rather ordinary canvas of this film, but Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai never quite hits the mark, or matches the standards set by previous underworld movies like Company, Satya or Nayagan.I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for director Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai. The film is watchable and enjoyable in parts even, but it doesn’t quite pull off the retro chic tone it was going for. Gangsta Rap? More like Gangsta Nap!
^^^^^ source
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rajeevmasand.com/reviews/our-films/gangsta-nap/
^^^Mr. Engineer, you could try making a clickable link. :P
ReplyDeleteRajeev Masand
ReplyDeleteThough you could have copied and then pasted the link in your address bar, too much to ask for from your non engineer mind? :P
Have you ever seen a filmi film? The kind of film where everything is larger than life? The bullet hits the Rolex which stops so you know a man's time is up? The woman has a hole in the heart and has only a few years to live? The man looks out at the sea and wants it to be in his "baahen" (arms)? Heroines flutter their false eyelashes and fans get signatures on Rs 1,000 notes which they then tear with great flourish. Films spout lines such as, "Main tumhare bachche ki maa banne wali hoon."
ReplyDeleteWatch it. It's like watching a retro fashion show with some cool gun battles thrown in. Lots of rain, lots of crashing of the waves, moody lighting, and dialogues that echo Salmi-Javed at their purplest prose. Ahh. Mumbai when it was still Bombay.
India Today 3.5 stars
^^Hey Smarty-pants, I already posted that review. Try reading sometimes. :P
ReplyDeleteThen learn to write the mag as well, not just author name :P Its confusing at times :P
ReplyDelete^^Erm it says the magazines as well. Are you blind?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2010/jul/310710-Movie-review-Once-Upon-A-Time-In-Mumbaai.htm
ReplyDelete****1/5
Can someone update this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=38960
ReplyDeleteIANS - 3.5/5
http://www.aolbollywood.com/2010/07/29/once-upon-a-time-in-mumbaai-movie-review/
ReplyDelete3.5/5
Lipika Varma
http://www.apunkachoice.com/content/article/sid100002958-once_upon_a_time_in_mumbaai_movie_review/2.html#news
ReplyDelete3.5/5
Naresh Kumar Deoshi
http://www.tanqeed.com/movies/review.cfm?ireviewid=5
ReplyDelete2.5/5
Sorry, Anon (Avis?). I got a little busy over the weekend and didn't see this until now. Will update.
ReplyDeleteSaw this movie, really good one, liked it a lot. Ajay, Emran, Kangana, Prachi, amazing performers, and Randeep Hooda in short but powerful role, man what a performer he is...
ReplyDeleteTruly a movie worth watching