Bombay Velvet Movie Review - Ambitious but flawed

Ameet Bhuvan

Sweeping sets, detailed meticulous research and loads of panache - if only a film could survive on just this. Bombay Velvet is a glossy detailed mantle piece that shines on the surface but is hollow inside. 

The story of how Bombay was formed, reclaimed land joining seven isolated islands merging to form the financial capital of India. Based on the acclaimed book Mumbai Fables, Bombay Velvet chronicles the bloody power games that went into making this rich astounding enigma of a city. 

On one hand there is Bombay of the poor, aspiring to be rich, struggling to survive in a cut throat world that knows no mercy. On the other hand is the world of Jazz club soiriees where prim and proper mannered men and women deal in the future of the city and in effect of the poor who live on the peripheries. Our protagonist, Balraj moves from the poor side to the richer side of the city, wanting to make a mark in the history of the city. Betrayal, deceit, passionate love and revenge filled thriller at its core, Bombay Velvet is at best a passable film. 

Ranbir as Jhonny Balraj gives his all to a role that is filled with ambiguities and moral dilemmas. He is invested and earnest, and that alone scrapes him through. A perfect foil to him is the silent subdued yet powerful Rossie, Anushka, who brings out another nice performance this year. Both together are electrifying and provide the very few really good parts of the film. The biggest let down though is Karan Johar, as the main villain of the story. He can't act, period. A role like this needed someone with the acting chops that could send shivers down the spine without every shedding a drop of blood. Karan is not that actor. A lot of the films core plot flaws are linked to this vital mistake. 

Bombay Velvet never looked exciting from day one. However one kept misgivings away owing to Anurag Kahsyap’s track record. He is ambitious here, like he always has, is meticulous and severely careful in recreating an era. Sadly, he seems to have taken up more than he can chew. Working with stars, a scale of this kind, a story this vast, perhaps was too early for him. Bombay Velvet falls flat, never raising enough to pass muster. Watch it only for the curiosity factor.

Rating: 2.5 / 5