Striker

I had seen Chandan Arora's Mein Madhuri Dikshit banna chahti huu when it had released and I was much impressed with the simplicity with which the director had handled the story. Then came the acclaimed Mein, meri patni aur woh which again got rave reviews, but I haven't watched it yet.

After Striker, I am sure, I am not going to miss any of his movies. The movie has a great ensemble of young & emerging as well as some veteran actors who all flawlessly do justice to their respective characters. The cinematography is superb and takes the audience right inside Mumbai's darkest alleys! The dialogues are delightfully crisp and witty. These are the factors which carries the film forward and even manages to cover up the (very few) glitches in the storyline...

If I have to dig for some complaints, it would be the background score, which fails to use the beautiful songs in the soundtrack to the fullest extent, the second love story which was a little too "convenient", and a script which kind of loses track in the second half. But none of these in anyway affect the end product to a great extent. Some audience may even fail to notice them! Siddarth plays protagonist, Surya and is overwhelming as the confident, blessed carrom player. He exudes charm as the boy next door where it's required and is just brilliant when he has to emote in the final few scenes of the movie.

While the other actors - Vidya Malvade, Pancholi (as the menacing local goon), Anupam Kher, Seema Biswas are all great in portraying their roles, it is Ankur Vikal (Slumdog Millionaire's Baban), playing Surya's best friend Zaid who steals the show. He plays the ever enthusiastic drug dealer to the best and even manages to overshadow Siddarth's performance is some scenes.

Watch Striker for the performances and realism with which the movie carries itself. Highly recommended!