Simran movie review: Kangana Ranaut’s film is a one-woman show but we wish it was much more

kangana's character overshadows every other character in the film

Kangana Ranaut single-handedly drove Queen to glory and so, when she offered us a glimpse into the world of Simran, we were sold. The trailer promised a film that would be an account of a single woman who didn’t need a man to define her place in the world. What’s not to cheer for? Add to the mix the brilliant acting talent of Kangana and deft skills of the film’s director, Hansal Mehta, and we are assured it is a film to watch out for. However, did the film deliver? Let’s see…

Whats it about

Hansal Mehta’s Simran is clearly meant to be a platform for its lead actor, Kangana Ranaut, to shine. In a role that is written for the versatile talent that is Kangana, the film has a faltering second half that is saved by the only noteworthy performance of the film – that of Miss Ranaut. A divorcee living with her folks in Atlanta, life takes a sudden unexpected turn after a night in Vegas. How a sober housekeeping girl becomes a thief under different circumstances is what the film is about.

What’s hot

There isn’t anything that Kangana can’t do. Her penchant to play roles written with a certain edge has been established over the last few years. With Simran, she has a field day attempting every possible emotion and showcasing her natural affinity towards drawing out the most natural human emotions – joy, sorrow, anger, love. Hansal is able to build up the entire bank robbery sub-plot holding out interest till the very end. The jokes are genuinely funny and Kangana dishes them out with her signature swag.

What’s not

The best thing that works for Simran is also it’s biggest flaw. Kangana’s character overshadows every other character in the film. Most of the supporting characters seem to be written to serve Kangana and further showcase her acting chops. It gets boring and becomes uni-dimensional early on. Also there is a bit of fatigue that sets in with Kangana’s performance. She needs to take a break from playing identical characters. Back in the day she was typecast as the problem child, who has a dark past, now she’s trapped playing the bohemian wild child with an unpredictable personality. Kangana’s earlier performances – be it Queen or Tanu Weds Manu – have appealed also because they were backed by a solid supporting cast which is clearly amiss in Simran.

What to do

Kangana delivers yet another award-worthy performance. But we wish the plot did more justice to her versatility. Simran is only a one time watch.