Simran

I walked into the movie theatre with no preconceived idea of the movie. The ticket was just 90 bucks and it had Kangana as the lead. How bad could it be? Very Very Very bad.

It is very easy to shake of a bad 'commercial' star film. Almost all of them are bad and no one really takes them seriously. However , it is much more frustrating to watch an amazing performer like Kangana get caught in an awful script which she apparently wrote herself!

The movie starts of very nicely. Watching an independent , hardworking NRI woman let her hair loose in Vegas was immensely fun. If the film had followed that path of her balancing work and play we would have all had a good time.

The films plot goes awry when our heroine loses all her money to gambling and ends up owing money to a shady gangster type person. Instead of trying to work for it or report to the police about the goondagiri of the moneylenders she decides to coerce her father to give money. When doesn't work out she plans to rob a bank acting like she is carrying explosives.

Read more in my review here:- https://assortedboxblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/oye-simran-arey- kingsman/

If I had not known that this film was loosely based on real events,I wud have found it incredulous and just a star vehicle.The fact that a Punjabi girl did manage to pull off some of such stunts in the US is worthy of respect.I dunt know why the director switched her regional identity from Punjabi to Gujarati,and if that has worked perfectly.Sure,with Gujjus in the mix,u can drop words like investment,stocks,fafda and thepla,and u can also take liberties with the accent.Besides,Kangana played a Punjabi girl in Queen as well,and this must have necessitated a change in the identity. KR has a raw charm.She bares her soul on the camera.She is not afraid of coming across as uncouth and unsophisticated.Even when she overacts,she has the charisma to get away woth it.And of course she overdoes her part a lot of times,but it doesn't hurt the film.Its her show,and u dunt mind watching.

As for the character she plays,Lipstick Bandit is out-of-control.Its one thing to rebel,quite another to be a gambling and alcohol addict.And then to rob banks to pay off ur debts ! U might love KR,but u have mixed feelings about Simran,and that is where lies the brilliance of the actress.There is definitely a story to tell,and it is told with doable sincerity.Yet the screenplay cud have been a tad tighter,and other characters made rounder.KR floats alone amidst a crowd of caricatures.Now we know that the west is paranoid after 9/11 but then u cant just present the cops as retards.

This film can be watched for KR.Its not a boring film.But why shud HAnsal Mehta (Aligarh,shahid,city lights) waste his time here ? well,I have heard he and Rajkumar are ready with Omerta .Simran must have provided some comic relief in the interlude.

Okay, Simran tells the story of its eponymous 'heroine', a young Indian immigrant in the US who becomes a serial bank robber to repay her debts following major losses in a gambling bout. Once she performs successfully her first robbery there's no looking back for her. Said to be based on the true story of Sandeep Kaur, a young Sikh immigrant in the US who made headlines following a number of successful robberies, this crime comedy is not just about the protagonist's crimes but also her life in general. It is with the robberies that the film picks up a little but sadly it is really poorly executed and there's some sort of amateur feel to it which is very present all along and is hard to shake off. Especially for those who watch American films of the sort, even the low-budget independent ones, the film's flaws and inept handling especially of the criminal activities and characters become more strongly evident. The American actors in the bit parts are also very poor. This is not to say the film is not good at all, it is watchable although it lacks this special something that would captivate. And it's a shame when you have a leading lady who is as strong as Kangana Ranaut. She is effortless in the part, playing it with a nice touch of self-deprecation and managing to evoke some empathy from the viewers in light of her impossible tribulations. Sadly, the material lets her down and the entire thing is not fully realised. Simran is not a terrible film, for sure. It is enjoyable in parts, it is funny in others, and Ranaut does make up for some of its flaws, which is enough for one watch but doesn't call for more.

The movie is not bad.. Not like usual Bollywood movies.. With its bold theme, it is a good entertainer. Kangana is good as always ably supported by other actors. Three things I liked most are : 1. Main protagonist with her false sense of rebelliousness, finally coming to her senses and reconciliating with her parents. 2. The anguish and helplessness of her father who always wanted the betterment of her. We all can connect with him. 3. Her fiance trying to help her in spite of knowing her true nature..

Mark Twain said, 'truth is stranger than fiction.' Indeed it is. Watching Simran reminded me of that as I was left puzzled and, at times, impressed by the lead character's ways. The expectations from a Kangana Ranaut led film are naturally high and if she's in a foreign land dealing with her issues you believe you may get another royal bonanza but, sadly, Simran is no Queen.

More than halfway into the story you finally realize why the movie is called 'Simran.' It's a well executed sequence but I wish there were more of those. Based on the true story of a woman who goes to extreme lengths to pay off her debt, this is a bizarre and astounding tale. Praful Patel is a 30 year old divorcée who, much to her father's dismay, still lives with her parents in Atlanta. She works in housekeeping and has been saving up to buy her dream house. An unplanned trip to Las Vegas blows her world to smithereens. One mistake after another and she's left saying, "mujhe jooye aur chori ki lat hai" (I'm addicted to gambling and stealing) to a hopeless romantic who is trying to court her. He laughs and doesn't believe it for a second. Oh well, she warned you buddy.

This is a highly unusual movie that manages to pack in some surprises. Praful is an antihero who isn't easy to like yet you don't want her to get in trouble. Such a layered and deeply flawed character is a rare treat. And a woman at that, gasp! Ms. Ranuat is a force of nature. She is brilliant and doesn't falter even when the film does. The movie is worth watching for her abilities alone. Because that's what you get. A terrific actor burdened by a sloppy screenplay.

Kangana's alleged involvement in every facet of the film has raised eyebrows since its inception. I don't care who truly wrote and directed the movie but they should've done a better job. The story is delicious but the screenplay needed more weight and the direction required a sharper eye. Many of the dialogues are catchy and delivered with precision. I love a good gray character and watching Praful dig herself into a hole was certainly not boring. A few scenes stay with you but it's mostly underwhelming.

A talent like Ms. Ranaut needs, no demands, a better film. The filmmakers around her need to step up their game. Simran is far from unwatchable but it won't have you jumping for joy…maybe just taking a small hop.