Bhindi Bazaar Inc - Review

"Life is a game of chess" - That statement is neither new nor profound. Yet, Bhindi Bazaar Inc's makers are so impressed with the analogy that they made a movie out of it. And took every move literally. It's parallel between the chess game and the story of the film is fun to start with but it gets tiring very soon.

The entire movie feels like one long exposition, where characters are still being introduced. It could be because of the over-dramatization or the slo-mo sequences, it seems like you are still seeing new stuff - new people, new situations within the film. When, in fact, you aren't.

Also, the way the film unfolds, you are like, "ok, you introduced me to the characters, let the real story begin." This is largely because the "real" story is all in flashback. In fact, the present is just teasing you. Constantly.

It also feels like a teaser because Kay Kay Menon is just sitting there, you can just about call his role an elongated special appearance. Similarly, there is nothing challenging about what Piyush Mishra or Prashant Narayanan have to do either. The only sore thumb sticking out is the new kid on block Gautham . He just doesn't match up to any of the talent he is surrounded by.

Deepti Naval represents the condition of the suppressed woman in the underworld with calm and composure. Just like Shilpa Shukla expresses the growing role of women in crime with aggression. Vedita Singh gets to play the slutty b!tch, and she makes most of the opportunity.

The conclusion being the cast was capable; they are just offered run-of-the-mill material to work with. It is possible that we have grown up since the days of Satya and Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi and we are better exposed to cinema from around the world. Maybe, if we weren't Bhindi Bazaar Inc would have worked a better.

It's not as if they didn't give the plot a thorough think through and just patched stuff together as it came in. The attempts to dot the 'I's are clean and clear. But all of it is done over and over again - the overall story for sure. And the details are filled in with filthy language and crass dialogue - all of which is appropriate given the setting, all of which also doesn't shock any more.

I can't help but feel a tad disappointed. It's not like I walked in with great expectations. It's just that I thought I'd be coming out with some mind-blowing performances that I'd remember for a long time to come.