By Rajal Monga
A period drama with an incredible ensemble cast, enchanting music and fifteen years in the making, expectations couldn’t possibly be higher for Karan Johar’s much-awaited “Kalank”.
Set during partition-era Lahore in the mid-1940s, Kalank narrates a complicated love story, which goes beyond the norms and questions the high morals of the society then. The highest opener of 2019 garnering over 21.6 crores on opening day, Kalank offers an extravagant screenplay with lavish sets and extravagant costumes which help bring the grandeur alive.
As the story unfolds, the weak and foreseeable plot masked by the glamorous sets begins to reveal itself. However, the movie is salvaged by the incredible performances of its lead stars. Alia Bhatt (as Roop) manages to beautifully convey her character’s strength as well as her vulnerability and shares compelling chemistry with her co-star Varun Dhawan (as Zafar). Aditya Roy Kapur (as Dev Chaudhary) surpasses all expectations and plays his role remarkably as the charming and compassionate husband. Much to our disappointment, the screenplay doesn’t permit the ensemble cast sufficient room, yet Madhuri Dixit (as Bahar Begum) leaves the audience stunned with her renowned grace and expressions; while Sonakshi Sinha (as Satya) and Sanjay Dutt (as Balraj Chaudhary) appear for an extended cameo and complement the drama quite well. Finally, Kunal Kemmu (as Abdul) effortlessly shows off his talent as the despicable villain, stirring up gripping conflict. The melodious tunes by Pritam paired with Shreya Ghoshal’s vocals in Ghar More Pardesiya and Tabaah Ho Gaye and Arijit Singh’s performance in Kalank (title track) adds value to this highly-immersive experience.
In 2019’s pragmatic times, classical movies like Kalank are often objectified as ‘clichéd’ and ‘predictable’ by the public as well as the critics. But, it is movies like these, that transport us to another era altogether, where elaborate costumes were worn for everyday grocery shopping, chivalry was still common and unconditional romance was all one could dream about. With phenomenal dialogues and complex relationships, what Kalank lacked in its screenplay (which made me yawn 20 times), it made up with its impressive cinematography, acting and music.
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