'D' - movie review

D (2005)

It is never a surprise when an off-beat, artsy, real-to-life film is made and somewhere among the list of credits the name Ram Gopal Varma makes its appearance.

Ram Gopal Varma remains one of Bollywood’s most versatile and creative directors, someone with a real flair for the art and a unique sense of presentation. The hits he has been associated with, both as a director and a producer, are countless.

As to why Varma gave the directorial reins on this one to newcomer Vishram Sawant one can only speculate. Maybe perhaps since Varma himself had directed 1998’s Satya and 2002’s Company, and ‘D’ allegedly was the prequel to his Company and also the third in the gangster saga trilogy, he chose someone who might be able to bring a certain freshness to this flick.

‘D’ tells the story of Deshu, an average man who has just returned from Dubai upon hearing of his mother’s death. He becomes witness to a gang-style murder and suddenly becomes a sought after man, with both underworld and police hot on his trail. After being brutally abused by the police he decides to volunteer his service to a rival gang and thus willingly enters the underworld himself. His meteoric rise from newcomer to being cold, calculated and one of the most feared dons in the underworld forms the rest of the story till the end.

Newcomer Randeep Hooda takes on the role of Deshu and breezes through the role as if he was a veteran. Hooda’s nonchalant eyes and deep voice make him the perfect fit for the role of an average Joe-turned demon. Hooda has a great body, and Sawant does a great job in restraining the character from ever having to take his shirt off, allowing the viewer to only speculate at the possibilities that lie underneath.
Hooda perfects the art of incorporating personality into character. His Deshu is never too interested in anything, seems unfazed by all happening around him, but has shades of human within, and definitely more than shades of punisher and finisher. In American parlance Deshu represents the Mariano Rivera of the underworld.
This kid is going to go far, and once again Ram Gopal Varma has shown his flair for finding talent out of nowhere. Look out for Randeep Hooda in Varma’s next venture titled “James”.

The rest of the cast does what it has to. Support. Some better than others.

Chunky Pandey continues his attempted comeback as Deshu’s right-hand man Raghav, but once again Pandey’s nasal voice and annoying presence make it a forgettable role. Thankfully Pandey did have a reserved role.
Ram Gopal Varma regulars Isha Koppikar and Rukhsar add the female touch and they both have small, but vital roles, and both lovely ladies ease through the film like melted cheese off of pizza dough. The other regulars such as Yashpal Sharma, Goga Kapoor, and Jeeva all have small roles and all fulfill them aptly.
The one miscasting may have come in the form of Sushant Singh, an extremely talented and adaptable actor whose negative character seemed too cheap and demeaning for an actor of such worth.

‘D’ remains true to the story it attempts to tell. With a running time of 101 minutes the editing is crisp and the story never drags, lags, or sags. Never a dull moment in any Ram Gopal Varma ventures the dialogue delivery is slick and plots and subplots are all meshed in well with one another. The action is fast-paced and blunt, with no melodramatics and dreary sequences.

While ‘D’ may not appeal to everyone, it is a great peep into the underworld and worth the time. Those who have seen Satya and Company may not find ‘D’ to be a novelty but this does not take anything away from the individuality of the film.

If subtlety being devious intrigues you a tad bit then ‘D’ is right up your alley.