The Dirty Picture, based during the same era takes audiences back to where the largely male dominated society celebrated sexuality in film theaters with loud bouts of woo hoos, wolf whistles and “oh la la, oh la la” [break]
This journey is an attempt to relive the unconventional 80s, supposedly loosely based on the life of the then sex symbol of the South Indian film industry Silk Smitha.
Reshma, (Vidya Balan) a bold, loud runaway who is later baptized as ‘Silk’ by her producer, is determined to make it big in the Indian Film Industry.
The very first scene where Reshma is seen moaning and groaning loud to avenge her neighbors while they engage in love making says much of her mischievous character and alongside creates a huge anticipation to which Vidya never fails to deliver.
What follows the ‘uh uh ummms’ are numerous spells of double meaning dialogues to establish Reshma as an audacious woman aspiring to make it big in a film industry ruled by an archetypical arrogant superstar, Surya (Nasuruddhin Shah).
At first she receives an impolite rejection where she is given five rupees to feed herself and give up her dreams of becoming a heroine. She later manages to catch a producer’s eye (Rajesh Sharma) later her friend and mentor.
Her journey begins as she is cast aside Surya, who has interests with her physical self, as he does with every new comer of the industry. Reshma’s struggle from the wannabe actor to the infamous “Silk” brings along much highs and the lowest of lows.
A brief affair with Surya breaks her heart. She then meets his younger brother Ramakant (Tusshar Kapoor, mustachioed and reminding the audiences of his father Jeetendra) who explores his crush on her with a school boy charm.
Rising from a nobody to a superstar, Silk leads a lonely life rejected by her mother and later on by Ramakant too.
Now she befriends the offbeat director and later actor Ibrahim (Emraan Hashmi) who regards her as his greatest foe but later falls in love with her.
In one of the few powerful but brief scene Silk, manages to make a bold statement at an award ceremony announcing that she is there to stay although engaged in an internal conflict between the old ‘Reshma’ and the new ‘sex icon’ title she is awarded with.
All the while, playing the central character Vidya comes across as powerful, convincing and extremely sincere. The movie gets glib many a times but everytime Vidya, with her the fantastic acting raises it to a high level.
Every time the film comes across a bit weak, the fault is in the screenplay and direction.
Milan Luthria as a director seems confused of Silk’s presentation. The central conflict of the film which is the survival instincts and the self-destructive nature of the central character do not seem very convincing.
This film works in bits and pieces, with only a few scenes that generate applauses and some dialogues to which the audience snigger.
The entirety, sadly fails to deliver with The Dirty Picture largely depending upon the elements of sexuality that Silk was rather famous for.
Not much of the movie is designed to show us how the sexy siren of the South India wanted to fulfill her passion for acting rather than just dance to raunchy numbers.
Even the suicide scene comes across as predictable and one that deprives the audiences from knowing Silk’s eternal internal battle.
The dialogues written by Rajat Arora are too clever to be real. Almost all of the actors speak double meaning sentences but then perhaps this works in reinforcing the filmy era of the 80’s and amusing the audiences with something new.
The look of Silk is a result of hard work. The itsy bitsy clothes are provably the most important part of Silk’s personality and they liberally define her curves with almost every one of flaunting a plunging neckline.
Its ghagra style skirts with pleats initially and later when she becomes ‘Silk’ the star she donned synthetics.
Niharika Khan, the costume designer’s shopping spree in the Chor Bazaar of Mumbai deserves appreciation for reviving the old world charm. Vidya look her sexiest best without a hint of vulgarity.
The music to which the latest siren of Bollywood sways to is to be credited to Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani. Ooh La la (inspired by Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Ui Amma’ from Mawalli- 1983) and Ishq Sufiyana are already a hit. Other numbers Twinkle Twinkle and Honeymoon Ki Raat are sure to catch up.
To sum up, Vidya is the show stealer in her sexy avatar while Naseeruddin Shah delivers fantastically. Tusshar’s is a job well done and Emraan Hashmi, the cerebral filmmaker is convincing enough.
Is The Dirty Picture gratuitous or knowingly over-the-top? The answers will differ, but the film belongs to Vidya Balan.
Screening at QFX Cinemas
Related story
Silk Transport, Musa Logistics sign logistics services deal
