The dirty picture review

This film has a tightly bound script with just one loose sheaf. And frankly speaking, it's unfair on director Milan Luthria because vidya balan's electrifying performance, leaves the rest gasping for breath. You just see her grasp the character and make it larger than life. This is perhaps her best performance till date. Even naseerhudin shah gracefully blends into the background as the 'Hero' takes Centre stage.

Vidya Balan disappears; it's Silk that emerges on screen. And though the PR machinery may have given one the impression of this film being one of sex and sleaze, it is not. In fact, this subject has been packaged in a sublime manner giving it the respect it deserves and making us wonder what really lies behind the glamour and gloss. It's not right to pass judgment because you don't know what the other person is going through, or the circumstances that has brought her to the place she is. Everyone has a choice, right. But we all make mistakes. And this film is not about glorifying a mistake. Rather, it addresses the plight of an upcoming actress.

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Vidya lives, breathes and executes the character to the 'T'. Even her 'one-size-tight outfits' that has her flesh spilling out of her costumes are tastefully done. You don't loathe her... you fall in love with the character she portrays and almost sympathize with her. As the rest of the south film industry pine for a 'piece of her', all that Silk yearns for is some Tender Loving Care. Her final adieu is poignant. It echoes her state of mind and what she really is looking for.

I can safely say Vidya Balan's performance in THE DIRTY PICTURE is akin to that of Al Pacino in SCENT OF A WOMAN. Whoaaa!

The other 'hero' of the film is dialogue writer Rajat Arora. There's this one line in the film Vidya's character mouths to a 'holier than thou' director played by Emraan Hashmi. 'Filmein sirf teen cheezon se chalte hain - entertainment, entertainment, and entertainment...' It won't be wrong to say that THE DIRTY PICTURE is all about Vidya Balan, Vidya Balan and Rajat Arora.

Terrific would be one word to sum up the dialogues. Keeping in mind the mood and the era, Rajat enhances the characters with lines that will have the audience whistling in delight. Sample this: As Silk plants an affectionate kiss on one of her fans, the delirious lad states: 'Start kar ke chod di.' Or when she is in the process of seducing the ageing superstar Suryakant (Naseeruddin Shah) in his vanity van: 'Tuning karne par band barabar bajegi.' Or this gem when she has managed to seduce Suryakant's brother Ramakant (Tusshar Kapoor): 'Border pe aane ke baad koi gaana gata hai kya?' There's immediate sound of gunshots! There are endless such lines that propel the film to another level.

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For once, Tusshar Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi are kept in check minimizing it to the characters they portray. Luthria has Tusshar in complete control. However, he loosens his grip a bit on Emraan. That's the loose sheaf I spoke about in the beginning. His song, a dream sequence, was an unnecessary ploy. It takes the sting out of the screenplay and the juncture with which he has managed to get his viewers to. Mercifully, Vidya gets things back on track with her overpowering brilliance.

The song Oh La La is a rage... the music takes you back to the 80s, the choreography resembles the era gone by. In fact, the movie is gripping right from the word go. In 'negative tone', her character is shown escaping from home a night before her marriage. Only the legs are shown on screen. The signature tune, which is sparingly used throughout adds a touch of class to the entire product.

THE DIRTY PICTURE is in line for a flood of awards. Vidya Balan will walk away with all possible trophies!

To borrow one more line from Rajat's dialogues... Yeh ladki aag lagaegi!

Rating - 4.5/5