By: Omair Alavi Bollywood has grown into a film industry where you can find films on all genres – there have been quite a number of films on Prison Break in India but none has been as exciting as Lucknow Central that combines action and music together, and comes out as a winner. Add to…
SAMAA | Omair Alavi – Posted: Sep 19, 2017 |
By: Omair Alavi
Bollywood has grown into a film industry where you can find films on all genres – there have been quite a number of films on Prison Break in India but none has been as exciting as Lucknow Central that combines action and music together, and comes out as a winner. Add to it bits and pieces of classic Prison Break films and you have a thoroughly entertaining film for those who believe in freedom, not prison.
The Plot
The film revolves around upcoming singer Kishen Mohan Girhotra (Farhan Akhtar) who is sent to Lucknow Central for a crime he didn’t commit; when he hears about a Band competition between Prisons, he agrees to help an NGO worker Gayatri Kashyap (Diana Penty), hoping to escape in the process. He manages to befriend four other inmates namely the all-access Dikkat Ansari, electrical genius Victor Chattopahdyay, Tailor master Pandit-ji and a locksmith Parminder Trehan. Whether they manage to escape remains another story, as Lucknow Central whether they win the competition should be the million-dollar question.
The Good
All the actors be it Farhan Akhtar, Diana Penty, Gippy Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Rajesh Sharma, Inaamulhaq or Ronit Roy (as the jailor), have done a fantastic job and their characters were made meatier due to Ranjit Tiwari and Aseem Arora’s dialogues. From Band Banay Ga Nahi, Band Bajay Ga to 5 Saal Main To Sarkar Badal Jati Hai, Yeh to phir bhi Jail hai, every line was carefully written and given to the appropriate character. The songs that are pivotal to the story are also well placed and quite hummable; in films like these, the soundtrack is as important as the plot and the director Ranjit Tiwari must be commended for doing a wonderful job.
The Bad
The length of the film is of concern as it is 147 minutes long – usually, Prison Break films move at a breakneck speed and last less than 2 hours. The first half had some scenes that could have been avoided; many sequences seem to be heavily inspired from Hollywood. The accent of playback singers especially the ones singing for Farhan Akhtar who has a UP accent is a problem since it disappears when he sings that too in front of a crowd.
Verdict – 3.5/5
Lucknow Central may not appeal to the fans of Simran or even the upcoming Bhoomi but it has its fan following. It is a must-watch for those who have seen many Hollywood flicks where the innocent hero escapes despite the maximum security in the vicinity. Farhan Akhtar is not just a talented actor but a brilliant producer and director (if not here) and he wouldn’t have said no to a film that wasn’t worth his time.
