Movie Review : Lootera (2013)

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Rating : 3.5/5
Genre : Romance
Year : 2013
Running time : 2 hours 15 minutes
Director : Vikramaditya Motwane
Cast : Sonakshi Sinha, Ranveer Singh, Barun Chanda, Divya Dutta, Adil Hussain, Vikrant Massey, Arif Zakaria
Kid rating : PG-13

Pakhi Roychowdhury (Sonakshi Sinha) is the only daughter of a the rich widowed zamindar of Manikpur (Barun Chanda). Varun Srivastav (Ranveer Singh) is an archeologist who comes to their village hoping to dig for a lost civilization below the ancestral mandir. Permission is granted for the excavation and Varun and his good friend (Vikrant Massey) begin work. They also, on invitation, move into the zamindar’s haveli. Pakhi and Varun fall in love, but Varun seems distraught, as though torn about his commitment to Pakhi.

This movie comes to us via the director of Udaan, so I had high expectations of it. The trailer promised an intricately wrought, thoughtful film on life and love. Well that much is true; the film is indeed intricately detailed and thoughtfully developed. The cinematography is beautiful with each frame composed keeping emotion and hue in mind. The film is based in the 1950s, a time just post-independence (there is a mention of how the new Indian government is considering abolishing the zamindari system), and the sets, clothes, music and the settings do justice to the time-period.

The actors seem to have had adequate direction from Motwane. Sonakshi as feisty Pakhi, delivers an outstanding performance as the poor little rich girl, with a hankering for the not-so-suitable. Ranveer is very good also, although I felt his performance a little watered down towards the end. Barun Chanda who plays Sonakshi’s doting father is impeccable, oozing class and charisma befitting his age, with a sonorous voice to match. Divya Dutta, Vikrant Massey, Arif Zakaria and Adil Hussain (of English Vinglish fame) manage to impress in their small roles.

In spite of all that good karma, this film still comes in at just about average. The pace is slow and plodding, and the romantic chemistry is missing. The second half of the film is based on O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf” which is kind of jaded; if only I had a penny for every time I’ve seen an interpretation of The Last Leaf – it seems to be a favorite of desi directors everywhere! The actors portrayed their characters well, but I was not too entranced by the characters themselves. Pakhi seems a spoilt little rich girl, used to her creature comforts, and her servants – to pick up after her and take the fall for her mistakes. Varun fared only a little bit better, and I felt for him because of his desperate circumstances and his large debt; inspite of his large transgressions he at least had some redeeming qualities. It wasn’t enough though, to make me like them or to hope for their living happily ever after – I really didn’t care.

I hear the film being lauded as a masterpiece. So be it. Only it is a masterpiece which failed to move me.

Kidwise : Some adult situations – probably OK for 13+. Film is dialogue heavy and might be boring for a younger audience.