In a Kalank review, we’ll discuss how the movie compares to the book and find out if it lives up to the hype. We’ll also examine how the movie’s overly dramatic ending jarred with our expectations, and how we feel about the film’s central theme of eternal love. Ultimately, the film is worth a watch, but there are plenty of things to consider before you see it.
While the film has gorgeous visuals, its direction is a little too shoddy. Abhishek Varman, who directed 2 STATES back in 2014, makes a mess of Kalank. The storyline itself is flawed, so Varman can’t do much to salvage it. However, he does a very competent job with the film’s visually imposing sets. That being said, there are some highlights.
The film’s prelude is promising, showing glimpses of the film’s climax. A train-bound courtesan reaches out to a man with a broken arm, rescuing him from the clutches of hate and violence. The climax, a sexy love triangle, is a powerful sequence that sets the film apart from its peers. Kalank is an overlong film that is worth seeing, but you shouldn’t expect a movie of this caliber to be a hit with its message.
The performances in Kalank are generally good. Madhuri Dixit and Kunal Khemu are particularly strong, while Aditya Roy Kapur’s stiff acting helps convey the uptightness of the character. However, the movie is also a bit dull at times. So, if you’re a hopeless romantic, this movie might be worth a look. There are plenty of things to admire about Kalank, but it fails to connect with the average film viewer.
The film’s beginning is unexpected. The Dharma Productions trademark doesn’t appear in the usual style, and the names of three production houses are mentioned in the credits. The cast is also lacking in face recognition. In addition to a mediocre story, the script is not particularly compelling and the characters lack depth. The film’s stars are a major draw, but the story is not strong enough to make it worthwhile.
This film’s story revolves around a Hindu minority in the pre-partition period of India and Pakistan. A Muslim group, led by Zafar, attempts to intimidate the Hindus. In an attempt to appease his angry mob, he makes the Hindus attack him with bullets. While we are in the middle of this, the film drags slowly to its predictable conclusion. The set designs are overly opulent. For example, a brothel looks like a five-star heritage resort. The rich man’s house is like a White House. The movie is part of an established genre in Bollywood, but does not deliver much originality.
