The day the trailer was out I and my sister decided that we were not going to miss this one at any cost! Something new, something different was being tried and whatever little we saw, we loved! So obviously, there were sky high expectations and they were raised further when the release was pushed a week ahead. So how did it do? Let’s find out.
Rani ( Kangna Ranaut) is getting married to Vijay ( Rajkumar Rao) and is over the moon. Everything is planned and she will be spending her honeymoon in Paris and Amsterdam like she had always imagined. But fate has a different plan and Vijay refuses to marry her, a day before the wedding. Heartbroken and crushed she tries to come to terms with reality. Nevertheless she still wants to go on her honeymoon, alone. The “honeymoon” she takes all by herself showcases a world where she discovers herself and how she comes into her own, is the story of Queen.
The first half of the film is quite a drag. Vikas Bahl has taken his time to depict the emotions of a middle class girl and what she goes through when her marriage is called off. The scenes are justified but it compromises with the pace of the film. Every time you are hoping that it will pick up some momentum but it doesn’t and before you know it, it’s time for the interval. The second half is much better than the first and the pace is decent, though not desirable.
The story is set up in Delhi and Vikas Bahl has taken to real locations instead of creating sets which does give it authenticity and the Delhi feel comes through. The outlook and reactions of Rani’s family are modern, real and come as a relief when they don’t make the wedding being called off as a big deal and blow it out of proportion like it’s generally done in our society. They are worried but believe that whatever happens happens for the good and life must go on, believing that tomorrow will be a better day. And I love the fact that Vikas has taken this tiny but extremely important detail and conveyed it so well in the film. It shows cultural progress and that it’s not the end of the world for a girl who has been rejected for marriage whatever be the reason.
Queen, as observed, is a woman centric film, so the journey of the protagonist (Rani) and how she slowly turns into a strong, confident woman who is not bogged down with the new atmosphere, people and the situations she finds herself in and is proud of her quirks, is beautifully shown on celluloid. Vikas Bahl and Chaitally Parmar along with a few others have done a good job with story and the screenplay. Bobby Singh has done an amazing job with the cinematography of the film. Paris and Amsterdam are beautifully discovered and shot. May his soul, rest in peace. (He passed away after completing 98% of the shoot when he consumed a crab following an asthma attack and died within 20 minutes.)
The music album is refreshing and new. It has a few tracks that stand out and for that Amit Trivedi deserves a round of applause. The songs have been beautifully written by Anvita Dutt and thanks to her they not only have a nice ring to it but also have a story to tell.
Kangana as Rani has done exceptionally well. This is first class acting from the leggy lass and to see her on screen playing a shy, conservative but a quirky girl from Rajouri, New Delhi is a delight. Minimal make up (looking prettier than ever) and with a strong sense of the character Kangana sails through the movie making you laugh and smile throughout. Lisa Hayden (Vijaylakshmi) plays a pivtol role in helping Rani Break free, supporting and encouraging her at every point to be the person she can be.
Special mention to Mish Boyok (Oliksander), Jeffrey Chee Eng Ho (Taka) and Guithob Joseph (Tim) who play Rani’s friends in Amsterdam. They are the reason the second half of the movie gets exciting and fun! And Mish Boyok is the reason I absolutely love the second half of the film! 📷 It has been a really long time since I’ve had a celebrity crush and today it comes in the form of a tall, fair and unbelievable good looking British born and brought up actor. ( Yeah, I googled him which delayed this review by half hour. )
So over all Queen is a decent film with a few flaws regarding the length and the pace of the film. It’s not a romantic comedy but is a drama where comedy has its place and as a whole it does connect with the audience. Personally I am a little disappointed with the film because the trailer did promise more than what it actually delivered. But I have a soft spot for Delhi based stories and movies where an extensive part of the story involves the Capital as I have an extremely special bond with the city and everything that defines it.
So yes, it is not a perfect 10 on 10 movie but it does have a story to tell in a way that is new and refreshing and I admire Vikas Bahl for being the brains behind the entire project and having a clear vision of what he wanted to put on screen. Watch it for Kangana to see how she puts life into the character and makes an average, mediocre girl stand out in a crowd when she realises that she doesn’t need to please anybody but herself to be happy.
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