Film Reviews Reviews

Disappointing is the word for Simran

Written by Omair Alavi

By: Omair Alavi   Kangana Ranaut is considered to be one of the most daring actors of the modern era; however, with great power comes great responsibility and by doing Simran, she has shown her irresponsible side to her fans. Had the film been good, people would have appreciated it like they did Queen…

SAMAA | Omair Alavi – Posted: Sep 19, 2017 | Last Updated: 4 years ago

By: Omair Alavi

Kangana Ranaut is considered to be one of the most daring actors of the modern era; however, with great power comes great responsibility and by doing Simran, she has shown her irresponsible side to her fans. Had the film been good, people would have appreciated it like they did Queen but when the film is a childish attempt at filmmaking, they have all the right in the world to feel disappointed.

The Plot

Prafu Patel aka Simran (Kangana) is a Gujarati working in the housekeeping department of a hotel in the States; she has a rocky relationship with her father who advises her to get married and stop thinking about saving money for the future. When she loses all her savings (for buying her own place) in gambling in Las Vegas, she decides to rob banks to pay back the loan shark. She is quite successful despite her naïve way of robbing banks until her fiancé gets to know about it and … watch the film to know more.

The Good

The film is inspired by the exploits of Sandeep Kaur who robbed multiple banks to pay back her loan shark; as soon as Kangana dons the role she changes the dynamics and ruins it. Yes, she manages to act well in some of the scenes but she disappoints in others. The scene in the Casino, the one at home where she gets angry and a couple of others are quite well written but that’s it. The writer Apurva Asrani is supposed to have researched for the script but Kangana demanded to share screenwriting duties for her input and that’s where the script lost it touch. For some, it went well, for others it didn’t.

The Bad

Had Kangana’s character been a well thought out one, the film would have benefitted from it however, it wasn’t. The character of the 24-year-old should have stayed 24-year-old because that’s when people experiment and live a carefree life. Who keeps stolen money in a locker at work; who thanks a stranger when he gives you a loan; who drives around the city dodging police just to avoid neighbour’s gaze … must be stupid rather than a person with average intelligence? Simran the character was supposed to have spent time in the States yet her accent remained Indian – its time she realizes that not every character Kangana will play will have the same Queen effect on the audience. They pay to watch a film and if it isn’t good, then they will have no obligation to like the movie.

Verdict – 2/5

Fans of Kangana Ranaut might consider her at par with Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan but the truth is that she doesn’t even stand near any of them. Gone are the days when people used to interfere with the scripts and add dialogues to add punch; Kangana’s biggest mistake was to make Sandeep Kaur’s character her own because we had seen her play herself in Queen and loved it; you can’t repeat something and except the audience to play along, especially when they have other options. It is about time Kangana Ranaut realizes that filmmaking is a serious business – you are as good as your last film.

About the author

Omair Alavi

Omair Alavi is a highly regarded journalist, critic, and commentator, specializing in news, sports, showbiz, film, blogs, articles, drama, reviews, and PTV drama. With extensive experience and a keen eye for storytelling, he captivates audiences with his insightful analysis and compelling presentations. His expertise and contributions have made him a prominent figure in the media and entertainment industry.