Lootera- Review

LOOTERA
Watched on: 16th July, 2013
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Ranveer Singh
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane

Lootera‘s first look itself made a good impression in an average movie buff’s mind, and there was an eagerness to know what the film would be like. In the promos and posters, Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha looked like the retro love bird, made for each other,. But their romance in the film is not that perfect – in fact, far from it. A beautiful woman, a con-man, a love story, and beautiful locations – all this in the hands of a director still Lootera fumbles as a love story.

Falling leaves of an autumnal tree and a girl who is stormed by thoughts of dying – the two essential components of the O Henry short story (The Last Leaf) that provides the basis of the narrative – are the principal elements in Lootera.

The film is a period drama that unfolds over two years, 1953 and 1954, a time of great upheaval for the Bengal aristocracy. Zamindari is abolished and the world of the Zamindar of Manikpur is on the verge of collapse.

The lootera himself, Varun Srivastav (Ranveer Singh) is more predictable. Neither the script nor Singh’s acting betray any detail about Varun’s personality. The only thing we know about him is that he is a thief. Each time he reappears, it’s because he’s part of a con job. Posing as an archaeologist, he earns the zamindar’s trust with incredible ease. Predictably, Pakhi falls for him. They stroll through leafy lanes and sit by lakes, making flirting in the 1950s seem like a lazy affair.

By the end of the first half, Varun has broken Pakhi’s heart, reduced her family to poverty and effectively caused her father’s death. It’s difficult to believe she would ignore all this for the memory of his grin and a few painting lessons
The lead pair’s chemistry is unique in its love-hate nature. But one feels let down by the lack of more romance in the film. Pakhi and Varun’s romance story wobbles awkwardly. For instance, you have to wonder how loving a relationship is when a woman learns the man she loves has been shot, but doesn’t ask him anything about his injury. . Still, scenes like the one where Varun forces an injection down Pakhi turns out well and shows more chemistry between Ranveer and Sonakshi than their much publicised ‘intimate’ scene.

The songs of Lootera blend with the story, and thankfully there’s no running around trees in the snow-clad Dalhousie. The background score works well and gives you the feeling that you are watching a classic. The set design, costumes and production are near-perfect. So what goes wrong?
The movie might be set in the ’50s but giving the pace of that era to the story might not work with the younger audience, who will be yawning, and yearning for speed to the proceedings. Lootera will stay with you if you like to see classic, slow romances that take time to unfold and invariably have some tragic element.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5