Danger (Hindi) Review

Danger is a provocative thriller that offers a grab bag of genres (gangster flick, sexy romance, crime caper) and tops it all off with "steamy" passion between Unnati (mistress of Nainesh) and a not-so-ditzy ruffian named Saurav. Simultaneously violent, funny and riveting, the film is sure to test your tolerance for bloodshed.

The story in short: Desperate to break away from the Mob's influence and live happily ever after, audacious dame Unnati (Tara Deshpande), with the help of her aficionado Saurav (Jas Arora), hatches a plot to steal Rs. 2 crores of mafia money. Their scheme runs into a series of escalating complications, until their very survival depends on split-second timing and criminal ingenuity.

Okay now, let's dig into the details. Saurav is a ruffian who has just got out of prison. He moves into an apartment next door to Nainesh, a money launderer for the mob, and his mistress Unnati. Unnati, who is perhaps not quite as unswerving as Nainesh would like her to be, soon embarks on a fiery relationship with Saurav. The two have chemistry to burn; they play the intimate scenes in a wonderful tongue-in-cheek manner, going for the 'fun' aspect of it.

This is all out of the way fairly quickly. We've established that they're a secret couple, and now the fun begins. Nainesh has Rs. 2 crores in his apartment, which is being picked up the following day. Unnati wants out and the money, and to get it she needs Saurav's help. They hatch a plan and get a-thinking, but as always something goes wrong. This time?

It turns out that Nainesh is more intelligent than they gave him credit for. A series of tense circumstances follows, which ensures that the suspense is kept up at a comfortably intense level till the end. And guess who gets all that money in the end?

The story twists and turns unpredictably, and the brilliantly quirky cinematography, a first-rate background score and seamless editing add to the fun. The dialogues are superb, but only from time to time.

Yet, the movie is not without its shortcomings; asymmetrical bursts of performances impart the movie a tinge of uncalled for incoherent flavor, which none of the middle-of-the-road moviegoers can put up with.

There's an edgy, over-the-top performance by Ashutosh Rana as a gleefully sadistic mobster's accountant; he makes his scenes crackle with barely contained malice, and proves once again that he's a highly capable actor with a commanding on-screen presence. Performances from others are of no consequence, just like the directorial talent of Vasant Chedda.

In summary, the film could have been a cult, but what it is ultimately is worth a watch.