Panga

Everyone has a dream in life. Few get to achieve in their first shot but for few, dreams are postponed, forgotten or even shattered as the life gets heavy. We forget to dream due to hectic schedule and responsibilities. Panga is a simple story well told with a strong message embedded deep within.

Panga tells the story of ex-Kabbadi player Jaya Nigam (Kangana Ranaut) who is happily settled in life as she takes the responsibility of a dutiful mother and a caring wife. However, deep down she is always reminded of pursuing her passion and finally gets the chance to crack her place into Indian Kabbadi team.

Directed by Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, who previously helmed the inspiring Nil Battey Sannata and romantic-comedy, Bareily Ki Barfi, collaborates with her husband, Nitesh Tiwari, who wrote the additional screenplay and dialogues. The result is fruitful as right from the beginning of the film, you will be completely engrossed into the beautiful tale of mother and her struggle to keep her dreams alive. Blended with sarcasm and light moments, the film is a powerful drama which will help you sail it through 2 hours 11 minutes without getting bored. Told in a subtle manner, it is the simplicity of narration which is the highlight of the film and you will cherish each and every frame. There are no glossy sets, colorful costumes over-the-tone melodrama yet the film is entertaining and will keep you glued throughout.

While Panga scores brownie points in few parts, it does suffer from the screenplay which could have tighter in few places. Panga being a sports drama, lacks the spirit and energy which should pump up your adrenaline rush. The transformation of Kangana Ranaut into a sports athlete, her practice sessions and ever her trial matches are completely cold. The only saving grace was the engaging climax match which again could have been classic (remember last scene of Dangal that brought down the house). I felt the background was light while none of songs were inspiring, considering it being sports film. Ashwin Iyer Tiwari does get the right elements but partially succeeds in executing them. Writing from the team of Bhoothnath Returns, Dangal and Chhichhore (Nitesh Tiwari and Nikhil Mehrorta) was good but could have been made into a well-scripted film. Technically, cinematography and art direction were just about okay while editing was fine.

Nevertheless, Panga rides on the shoulder of one of the best actresses of our time - Kangana Ranaut. Same time last year, she lived the character of Manikarnika-The Queen Of Jhansi. A year later, we see her as a mother who gets the second chance to live her dream. The extremely talented gets into skin of Jaya Nigam with aplomb and you will forget about Kangana Ranaut for few minutes. Jassi Gill does well as a supporting husband while the child actor was pretty good. I liked Neena Gupta and Richa Chaddha, though they could have better character defined for their roles.

Overall, Panga is a feel-good cinema with a strong and captivating message. Good 3/5

• Ketan Gupta