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By Joginder Tuteja, May 23, 2009 - 12:45 IST
MOVIE DETAILS
Cast: Nargis, Sudha Chandran, Upendra Limaye, Deepshikha, Raman Trikha
Director: Hirdesh Kamble
Producer: Nikhil Mathur
Music: Kailash, Naresh, Paresh
Lyrics: Anil Pandey
THE FILM
There are quite a few wrongs associated with Pranali that naturally made majority turn away from the film. First and foremost it's title. Leave aside the theme and the execution, on hearing a title like Pranali, one is led to believe that the film is possibly set in medieval times and tells a story from the 'raja-rani' times. Secondly, the theme which was promoted as 'a never ending journey of a devdasi'. The moment you hear the word 'devdasi', you again become more or less sure that the film is not set in today's time and tackles issues of the centuries gone by. Thirdly, it's first look. When you see the film's leading lady in a near backless outfit hogging the entire length and breath of a poster, majority of audience is bound to turn away immediately believing that the film is an extension of a Julie or a Murder. Fourthly, zero promotion. Now that factor hurts the biggest and the smallest of the films and Pranali is no different.
Due to reasons stated above, it is quite easy to dismiss a film. So why am I getting into the details of 'what went wrong'? For the sheer reason that each of these wrongs are external factors that led to the film failing at the box office when the fact is that if pitched in well, it may have just about managed to gain some audience for itself. Reason? The film is much more than a misleading title, skin show (which in fact is totally absent in the film) and a dry and depressing subject (which actually is not really the case since there are a few dramatic moments that do manage to arrest your attention).
Okay, so there are times when amateurish execution is right on your face, especially the B grade touch that the film carries throughout. Some of the opening sequences (a priest lusting after a teenage girl, a Minister attempting rape on the leading lady Nargis) in fact even threaten to put you off completely from the proceedings and you want to move into a much more comfortable zone. Also, you get a feeling of seen-it-all once the drama reaches Sudha Chandran's brothel den as she turns out to be friendly neighbourhood 'Madam' jo apni ladkiyon ke upar aanch bhi nahin aane de sakti! Clichés after clichés follow and one wonders what was the point around making this film?
However, the point comes much more in the forefront in the second half of the film where the entire episode around legalization of prostitution comes in. The makers of the film need to be complimented here for the thought that they generate here as Pranali moves ahead from being as frivolous as it seemed when it started off.
From the performances point of view, no one actually comes up with what could be termed as a 'career defining performance'. Nargis, one of the three Garam Masala girls, had a good platform to showcase her acting abilities but she is unable to shrug away the urban persona of hers. Moreover, her dialogue delivery is designed rather than being impromptu, hence making it all seem as a forced exercise. She is good at places but strictly average at others. Sudha Chandran and Upendra Limaye are required to be loud and they are decent in their part. As for Deepshikha and Raman Trikha, they get limited opportunities and are just about fine. How about music? Well, to put it nicely, it is completely forgettable!
PACKAGING
The DVD comes in a rather glossy plastic case and is far better than the usual Moser Baer 'thin plastic case' that had almost become a trademark for cheap priced DVDs over the years
DURATION
The film's duration is 122 minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES
The DVD doesn't come with any special features
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation
- Subtitles in English
- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo
PRICE
Rs. 99/=
CONCLUSION
The nexus of pimps, goondas, cops, politics, prostitutes, roadside vendors may have been seen earlier in Chandni Bar but it's the legalization angle that throws in some spice into the proceedings. Of course the film doesn't offer a solution and ends on a documentary note. Nevertheless, a few individualistic scenes do manage to make an impact hence saving Pranali from becoming an utterly pointless exercise.
 
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