SO WHAT IF Johny Gaddar is a rip-off of countless Hollywood flicks or as the narrative in the film unapologetically gives that the antagonist executes the crime taking a leaf from his favorite actor’s flick Parwana – the point is Johny Gaddar is a highly stylized crime thriller.

 

The novelty of the film lies not in its plot, but in the execution and the superb manner in which the narrative unfolds.

 

There is a five-member gang comprising of Sheshadri (Dharmendra), Prakash (Vinay Pathak), Shardul (Zakir Hussain), Shiva (Daya Shetty) and Vikram (Neil Nitin Mukesh).

 

They pull off various crimes and split the booty. A corrupt cop, Kalyan (Govind Namdeo) gives them a lead. He has French furniture that can give gang, double the profit. The booty is arranged and Shiva is assigned to take it to Kalyan.

 

However, Vikram gets tempted to rob the booty, because he wants to settle with his girlfriend, Mini (Rimmi), abroad.

 

While robbing the booty, he accidentally kills Shiva and thereby, he has to kill each of the gang-members to conceal his crime.

 

For long we have heard and not seen that film is a director’s medium. Sriram Raghvan makes us see that film is indeed a director’s medium.

 

I guess, after a long time, Indian writing has seen characters that have been worked on. Each and every character has been detailed to perfection. Be it Shiva’s ailing mother, Rasika Joshi in a well-acted cameo or the nurse he gets involved with Vyjyanthi (she gives Alzeimer’s disease a new definition – vo jo Amitabh ko Black mein hua thaa). Each actor looks the character.

 

The best part of the narrative is Sriram Raghvan wastes no time in the characters executing their actions.

 

·       As soon as Vikram finishes watching Parwaana, he knows his plan.

·       Sheshadri corners Vikram, as soon as Vikram spills the beans, after the accidental murder.

·       No unnecessary sub-plots for Vikram. He wants a happy life with Mini and needs money for it. So, he has no issues, speaking white lies to Mini.

·       Married, Mini has no guilt-pangs indulging in an affair with Vikram, though he is a partner of her husband, Shardul.

 

Technically, the film is very stylized; but unlike other films it is very cohesive to the films’ screenplay.

 

Musically, there is not much scope in the film; yet Sriram’s usage of 70’s tracks gives the film that 70’s feel, which is nostalgic for cine-aficionados.

 

There are, rather is, only one minor blemish; the train sequence could have been more pulsating. Instead of using vignettes of train and different stations, Sriram could have built on the two characters – Vikram and Shiva, or he could have easily chopped the vignettes.

 

Neil Nitin Mukesh makes a very confident debut and in this complex role fits like hand in glove; though the throw in his dialogue delivery could have been better at places. Dharmendra is better than his recent outings in Metro and Apne; he is much more restrained and in control. Vinay Pathak displays his versatility, yet again. Zakir Hussain is purely natural. Daya Shetty impresses in his brief role, same goes for Govind Namdeo.

 

Instead of Rimmi, it is Ashwini Kalsekar, who impresses with her act; as a ‘suppressed’ yet dominant wife of Vinay Pathak. Rasika Joshi is aptly cast.

 

A must for anyone who loves crime thrillers, as this Johny is yum hai yaar.