GANGSTER – NOT JUST A VIOLENT FLICK, EMOTIONALLY RICH TOO

Rating:- * * *

Debut-making Simran [Kangana] is addicted to drinking, and this addiction borders on the dangerous. The only person in whose company she can feel a tad comfortable(when she's feeling low in far-away Seoul [South Korea] is Aakash [Emraan Hashmi], a singer in an Indian restaurant. They come quite close, as a result of which Aakash comes to know why the young lady feels so lonely? In fact, she’s a girl with a past, who was once a bar dancer in Mumbai where she befriended a gangster named Daya (Shiny Ahuja), who is on the run.

Not a heartless man, when Daya learns of Simran's relationship with Aakash, he promises to mend his ways and fulfill her dreams of a normal life. But lo, there’s already a complication. Simran’s shocked to discover that she is in a family way.She is carrying Aakash's baby. Naturally, she is now torn between the two men, and is confronted with a choice.

There are twists and turns galore in the screenplay, and one is at a loss to guesss as to what’s in store in the next scene.

Director Anurag Basu has quite efficiently executed what the writer gave him.

Pritam's music is another highpoint of the flick, particularly the two tracks: 'Tuhi Meri Shab Hai Subah Hai' and 'Bheegi Bheegi' .Cinematographer Bobby Singh has brought out the zing in shooting the locales of Seoul.

As for performances, GANGSTER rests on three players. If Emraan gives an impression that he has matured a lot as an actor, newcomer Kangana is not just a photogenic face, but also a dependable artiste. And Shiny is almost remarkable at places. Another good performance comes from Gulshan Grover.

All said and done, GANGSTER is worth watching. One need not be misled by the title of the film which gives one the feeling that it is all about violence. It is not. It has layers and layers of emotions too.