SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2021 (PAGE 4) MOVIE-REVIEW SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A film to be experienced on big screen Red Planet Beckons MUMBAI SAGA is the story of a gangster and his rivalry dialogues by Vaibhav Vishal) enhance the film’s mass with a cop. In the mid-80s, Amartya Rao (John Abraham) appeal. Some one-liners are sure to induce claps in the the- lives with his family, comprising of his father (Rajendra atres. Gupta), brother Arjun (Harsh Sharma) and wife Seema Sanjay Gupta's direction is appropriate. He treats the (Kajal Aggarwal) in Mumbai. His family sells vegetables on story in a very dramatic and entertaining manner and tries the streets and are harrowed as they have to pay ‘hafta’ his best to cater to the lowest denominator. As a result, he (bribe) to the goons of Gaitonde (Amole Gupte). One day, peppers the narrative with massy moments in abundance. Arjun argues with one of the goons who then throws Arjun The characters of Amartya and Savarkar especially are off from a bridge. Amartya saves him in the nick of time strong and are well fleshed out. On the flipside, a few char- before Arjun gets crushed under the train. Amartya till now acters don’t get the deserved screen time. Sanjay Gupta also had decided to not get involved with gangsters. However, he should have made the second half, particularly the climax loves Arjun to death and the attack on him enrages him. He sharper. The length in the second half is also a bit of an single handedly assaults Gaitonde’s men and even chops off issue. the hand of one of the goons. Gaitonde, who operates from MUMBAI SAGA begins on a rocking note which depicts the jail, tells the police to get Amartya arrested. Moreover, the politician-gangster nexus in Mumbai a few decades ago. The film wastes no time as it soon comes to the point as to MUMBAI SAGA begins on a rocking note which depicts the politician-gangster nexus in Mumbai a few decades ago. The film wastes no time as it soon comes to the point as to why With the landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on Questions, however, bubble up. Why has such an Amartya became a expensive mission been undertaken while our Earth, God planet Mars recently, lots of things are surely going knows, has many issues that deserve urgent attention? don. to change for space research and exploration in the Why are UAE, China, etc. competing in a race to reach Mars? India’s 2014 Mangalayan mission spacecraft suc- near future. But why this race to reach the Red Planet cessfully entering the atmosphere of Mars, the first Asian he puts Amartya in the same jail as him. Gaitonde’s hench- why Amartya became a don. The scene where Amartya by different nations? Will our astrologers warning of nation to do so, keeps up the hope that one day a men attack Amartya in the prison. Yet again, Amartya sin- attacks Gaitonde’s men on the railway bridge begins unex- bharatiya would set foot on the Mars surface. gle handedly defeats them. Gaitonde now realises that pectedly and is sure to be loved by the masses. The second dire consequences of angering ‘mangal- graha’ have Scientists offer different reasons- that Mars could Amartya is too dangerous. The next day, Amartya is action scene, in the prison, takes the fun forward. Amartya’s a different take now, wonders Ranjita Biswas prove to be more habitable in the long run compared to released on bail. This is made possible by Bhau (Mahesh rise seems too quick but thankfully, there’s lots happening in other planets in our solar system. Remember Matt Manjrekar), the unofficial king of Mumbai. Bhau offers the film to keep the interest going. Sunil Khaitan’s assassina- Wear a prabal or red coral stone to ward off the Demon (as astronaut Mark Watney) in The Martian Amartya to work for him and to find a solution to Gaitonde tion is highpoint. The intermission comes at a superb junc- unfavourable effects of planet Mars or mangal graha, you where he is left behind by crew members as he was and his menace. In no time, Amartya learns the tricks of the ture. Post interval, the cat and mouse chase between Amartya often heard while growing up when a practitioner of the thought to be dead after a fierce storm, survives, and trade. He also usurps Gaitonde’s territory, between Dadar and Savarkar keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, as also Indian astrology visited the house and did a palm reading. grows potatoes? So art foresaw a future that science could and Byculla. Gaitonde has no choice but to accept defeat. the sudden twist in the tale in the pre-climax. The climax, You learnt that the Red Planet symbolises war and con- make possible one day? The story then moves 12 years ahead. Arjun (Prateik though could have been better, is worth watching. flict and if one, unfortunately, happens to suffer from the Babbar) has now grown up and Amartya sends him off to In fact, in some labs simulated as Mars’ surface condi- John Abraham is in top form. He looks every inch a angry eye of the graha, appeasing its ruler is imperative. tion scientists are now experimenting with growing veg- UK to protect him. Meanwhile, Sunil Khaitan (Samir Soni) dreaded gangster and he is fantastic in the action scenes. At Now that NASA’s Perseverance rover has landed on is an industrialist who owns a mill, built by his ancestors. etables. Even some billionaires are now investing in space several places, he flashes his dimpled smile briefly and that Mars on 19 February after overcoming the ‘seven minutes expeditions. So is it an attempt to establish a colony in He wants to fire all the mill workers, demolish the mill and adds to his character’s charisma. Emraan Hashmi has a late of terror’ before the feat, what will be the advice of sooth- sell the land for an astronomical price. He takes the help of outer space a la scenario from the Star Trek series? entry and that might make his fans unhappy. But the sayers, one might wonder. In our astrology, the nine plan- Second reason: The exploration of the planet can give Gaitonde to evict the mill owners. Bhau tells Amartya to ets- navagraha, hold sway over an individual’s fate one moment he enters the narrative, he is rocking. Not just with a glimpse of formation of the planet itself and evolution. stop the Khaitaan Mill from materializing so that he can get action, he also steals the show with his one-liners. His dia- way or the other, you are told. So when science breaks the votes of mill workers. Amartya meets Sunil and warns In its early formative years, roughly around four bil- logue on the police uniform will create frenzy in cinemas. into its domain it is bound to become a little confusing. him of dire consequences. Sunil complains to Gaitonde lion years ago, the conditions on Mars were quite similar Mahesh Manjrekar is too good as the shrewd politician. Anyway, Space has always fascinated men. For a very about Amartya’s trend. In retaliation, Gaitonde tries to kill to that of Earth humid and with the presence of water. Amole Gupte is superb. Prateik Babbar looks a bit off but long time, the Red Planet has generated more curiosity Arjun when the latter is in Mumbai on a short visit. Arjun Life evolved on Earth 3.8 billion years ago. But Mars is a manages to leave a mark. Kajal Aggarwal and Anjana among the general public and scientists than its other sib- escapes unhurt. An angry Amartya then finishes off Sunil fallow land now, its lake dried up and the river shrunken Sukhani get limited scope. Same goes for Tithi Raaj lings. Is it because it seems more like ‘ours’? Sci-fi fic- Khaitan in broad daylight. His widow, Sonali (Anjana as scientists demonstrate through photos taken earlier by (Neelam; Arjun’s wife). Gulshan Grover (Nari Khan) looks tion writers have also been attracting readers with plots Sukhani), goes to the police headquarters and announces where little Martians invade our planet or gobble up the other missions. that she’ll reward Rs. 10 crore to the cop who kills Amartya. stylish and is decent. Rohit Bose Roy (Baba) is fine as living beings. Among the positive vibes the Perseverance landing has Vijay Savarkar (Emraan Hashmi) gets interested in this Amartya’s right hand man. But his motive in the second half In 1957, when Soviet Russia shot off the Sputnik, the evoked when the world is devastated by Covid 19, and offer and decides that he’ll kill Amartya, come what may. seems a bit unconvincing. Samir Soni, Shaad Randhawa first artificial Earth satellite, it seemed almost unimagin- unusual weather patterns- the terrible ice storm in Texas What happens next forms the rest of the film. (Jagannath), Vivaan Parashar (Sadashiv) and Harsh able that man would land on another planet one day. being the latest one blamed on global warming, a sober Sanjay Gupta's story is interesting and full of thrills and Sharma are okay. Suniel Shetty (Sada Anna) is fine in a spe- Then the Moon landing happened. The “giant step” for thought is bound to come up. Is this what we are going to even twists and turns. The film is inspired from true events. cial appearance. He looks quite stylish.