Shootout At Wadala

Cast: John Abraham, Sonu Sood, Tusshar Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Mahesh Manjrekar, Kangana Ranaut, Ronit Roy, Manoj Bajpai, Siddhanth Kapoor

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Producer/s: Ekta Kapoor, Sanjay Gupta

Music Director: Anu Malik

Singer/s: Sunidhi Chauhan, Mika Singh

Plot: Shootout At Wadala, based on a story by Hussain Zaidi, is about the rise of the notorious underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his rivalry with Manya Surve. It talks about the death of Dawood’s brother Shabbir and the encounter of Manya Surve reportedly orchestrated by Dawood.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars (Three And Half Stars)

Star cast: John Abraham, Kangana Ranaut, Anil Kapoor, Sonu Sood, Manoj Bajpai, Mahesh Manjrekar, Tusshar Kapoor.

Director: Sanjay Gupta

What’s Good: Balanced and Tempting action sequences which hit hard yet do not leave a traumatizing effect.

What’s Bad: The narrative is ruined by the languid editing towards the later half of the film which makes the ending a little troublesome.

Loo break: Not an absolute necessity. Entirely depends on your threshold of withstanding such films.

Watch or Not?: Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout At Wadala is better than the last Shootout edition. Outstandingly, John Abraham does keep true to his word of giving the most pleasantly conspicuous performance of his career. The film’s well drawn out action sequences are delightful which makes the other loopholes in it seem faint. Overall, the film makes for a favorable one time watch. For the ultimate satisfaction of your cinematic juices, I do hope you know how to whistle!

User Rating:

Based on the life of the 80s’ gangster Manya Surve, the film’s script follows the pattern of reality. A kind, loving and honest man entangles himself in the garb of his criminal brother’s activities by being party to a murder. Surviving the intoxicating and menacing world of jail during imprisonment, Surve learns to play his trump right. Befriending, a co-inmate Munir, he flees from jail. After refusing to bow down as an aide to strong Gangsters, Manya makes his own gang. Gradually climbing up the ladder of crime, he makes a few friends and a plenty enemies. Smelling threat from Surve, both the police and notorious gangsters are scheming ways of his descent. The film follows the rise and fall of the towering figure of a man whom fate pushes into the world of villainy.

Shootout At Wadala Review: Script Analysis

Based on the book ‘Dongri To Dubai’ by the distinguished journalist Hussain Zaidi, the film’s premise is well etched and powerful. Unraveling the life of a robust gangster, the script’s strength lies in successfully creating the charisma and class of Manya Surve. Painting a substantial picture of his simplistic earlier life and his breezy romance, the transition is done unhindered with utter smoothness. Story wise, the idea cannot be given credit for being creative but the film grabs ample praise for scoring in the artistic and technical sections of the film.

Shootout At Wadala Review: Star Performances

I remember John Abraham’s last film I, Me Aur Main was a bland affair for me. All his good looks couldn’t do even a sprinkling of magic then. But as Manya Surve, John definitely delivers the most impressionable and memorable performance of his career. From childlike innocence to a gangster’s shrewdness, John travels the journey of Surve with believable vigor.

Anil Kapoor as the indomitable encounter specialist thrives. Though the character itself is presumably a figment of writer’s imagination as such men in police department are definite rare fixtures, he plays his role very delicately.

Manoj Bajpai and Sonu Sood bloom through their characters competently. Tusshar Kapoor plays his stint praiseworthily.

Kangana Ranaut looks resplendent in her well formed lucid role that she unbeatably does radiantly. The John-Kangana chemistry though first of its kind is indeed lusturous.

Shootout At Wadala Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects

Sanjay Gupta does the exalted job of recreating the late 70s and early 80s era of Bombay. He makes the grade notch by packing Shootout At Wadala with the right amount of drama, acting, romance and action. Adding a dash of pain, passion, betrayal, loyalty each with his story, the film is made beyond plausible.Three distinct item numbers with three ravishing women, make up for some gleaming on screen minutes!

The film’s editing could have been neater but the cinematography is done fabulously. The story with its rubric moments of thrill makes up for an engaging entertainer.

Shootout At Wadala Review: The Last Word

Shootout At Wadala is an ingeniously made entertainer. Sanjay Gupta creates a well balanced venture which is beseeching for its crime thriller premise. John Abraham captivates in his charismatic role brimming with vicious grandeur. I am going with a 3.5/5 for this one. This one is a must watch adrenalin incurring, electrifying and at places a spine chilling action film.

Shootout At Wadala Trailer

Shootout At Wadala released on 3rd May, 2013.

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