ওয়াশিংটন বাংলা রেডিও Washington Bangla Radio

I bet, Jeet lately wanted a movie like the recently released ‘WANTED’ very badly; he needed a comeback, a vehicle which will bring him ‘back on’ the tracks in Tollywood.

Ravi Kinagi’s WANTED opens in the typical RGV style with a crowded street scene with mostly hand-held shots. A man is murdered gruesomely.
The killer strikes efficiently, effectively and suddenly!

Before the din is raised, the killer is gone!

Thus begins the saga of contract-killer Raj, effortlessly enacted by Jeet, delivering all the goods that a typical commercial Tollywood movie needs today.

In some of the scenes though, the need for color correction (i.e. Zinda, Kaante, Sarkar Raj etc.), screams out, since the ambience demands a more dark hue and more browns instead of vibrant greens and blues. However, WANTED pulls off the story easily and keeps the movie-goer entertained throughout.

A politician, contending to be the next Chief Minister gives a contract on injuring himself, only to earn public sympathy, which will enable him to win the elections and become the next CM. As in the Hollywood caper, Mark Wahlberg’s SHOOTER, here too, Raj (Jeet) is taken by surprise, as the target is gunned down by some unseen shooter even before Raj (Jeet) can even pull the trigger of his sniper rifle.

Now with the politician dead, the law is ‘hot’ on his trail, and the cat-and-mouse chase begins.

This electrifying beginning marks the pace of WANTED, which does not wane till the end, more so because Raj’s name comes up before the viewers only when the movie is halfway, which evenly juxtaposes the script and the entire layout of the movie, as he is mistaken as ‘Shibu’ Raj’s fellow passenger while he’s on the run from the law, and becomes the wrong target. Shibu is seen coming back home after a decade back to his family and his childhood fiancée Puja, played by Srabanti. Raj, the contract killer experiences a radically opposite ‘life, a fresh new vista.

The complexity of being a contract killer ‘Raj’ and at the same time playing the now dead ‘Shibu’ brings out a dynamic actor in Jeet, with the suspense intact and the script taking interesting turns.

The CBI inspector Salim Ali, lecherous but dynamic investigator played effectively by Sharad Kapoor (Josh, Vishwabidhata fame) adds to the taste of the movie. His one-liners and dialogues with stitched-in humor to anything that’s remotely female are praiseworthy. Sharad Kapoor’s sense of timing is exquisite.

The only down-point of the movie lies in the portion when the Raj (Jeet) enters the family of Siddharta, Shibu’s affluent grand daddy, because here the films becomes tediously slow, sloppy and full of sentimental melodrama. However, interspersed in between; the fight scenes, tries to lift the spirit of the film, since it comes as a relief form the usual family tear-jerking nonsense.

However, from here till the end its chase and action and all about how the real killer is revealed and Raj is restored at Shibu’s Grand-daddy’s place with his heroin Puja (Srabanti) in tow. It’s more or less, all’s well that ends well, or should we cry out in the Gen Y language – “ALL IZZ WELL”??

To sum it up I would like to say, WANTED is undoubtedly an entertaining movie with smart cinematography, sleek editing and vibrant music.

Rajesh Roy, a new kid on the block of Bengali movies has done a great job, sounding different yet melodious; however, at times the music seemed too loud – drowning the lyrics and essence of the songs. Among all the songs “Koro Selaam” stands out for its unusual mix of notes and style of delivery. I cannot say anything special about the picturisation of the songs, as there is nothing new in its execution.

WANTED is director Ravi Kinagi’s comeback vehicle for Jeet, where Jeet has a pivotal role which he does justice to.
He looks good in this movie, sharp and alert like a splash of cologne in the morning hours. I will not discuss anything about the killer, as this will mar the suspense of the film and guys who read this before going for a peek will lose the thrill.
Sharad Kapoor is engrossing and delivers to the hilt. Srabanti is satisfying as the heroine as she has got nothing much to do apart from dancing and being like a mannequin lady-love. Aritra Banik, the child artiste is difficult to digest. Biswajeet Chakraborty as the grand-daddy is average.

Hopefully Jeet will go on giving the Bengali movie audience movies like WANTED in the future and will not get entangled in family pot-boilers, and Ravi Kinagi too will look out for slicker scripts.

Review by Nilanjan Nandy
nilanjan.nandy@gmail.com

Falt-4B, Shahid H.K.Basu Sarani,
Jawpur, Calcutta – 700074
INDIA
Dated: 09th May, 2010