Rebel without a cause

 Jasmine Singh

 What is life without a motive, and what is fight without a cause. Not that anyone has quoted it categorically; this is something we all know in bits and parts. So when you see the protagonist of the film Rupinder Gandhi The Gangster..? fighting, fighting and fighting at the slightest provocation you wonder, kyun bhai! This is what hangs throughout the recently released Punjabi film directed by Taran Mann, starring Dev Kharoud in the lead role.

 The film is based on the real life character, Rupinder Gandhi who turned a rebel due to some circumstances. But, this one thing is not established throughout the film Rupinder Gandhi the Gangster? Barring one small incident as a kid when Rupinder is beaten by a cop for no rhyme or reason, the director or writer nowhere tell the audience why Rupinder Gandhi is always fighting. On the contrary, going by the way the character has been presented Rupinder comes across as a self appointed Robin Hood.

The entire film has two prominent things— fights in village, gang war in university, fight and more fight followed by a yaara dostan da daru session. The protagonist and his friends fight and come back and drink. The story doesn’t establish any reason behind the incidents in the film. You don’t feel anything for Rupinder, because you don’t ever see him reasoning, asking questions, talking or even indulging in some thoughtful soliloquy, he is fighting and fighting. So much so, if you happen to get up during the film and return, everyone would still be fighting and drinking.

Taran Mann has written and directed the film. He has tried to keep the ‘fights’ as real as possible, however, what about the story...tell us something at least? Taran, who has also acted in the film, is not bad; he just needs to gulp down badaam milk and get some strength in his voice and body language. Dev as the lead could have been great, had the director made him say something or at least added some value to his character. Dev looks and does fine. A word of praise for Jagjeet Sandhu (Bhole) who adds fun moments with his character, which is adorable and believable.

There isn’t any space for love in the film, so it is pointless to talk about it. The film has a good background score. The film and the subject is at least an effort to bring forth something new, an effort at exploring a new subject, exploring a new territory. If only more research and work had been done on the story, it would have been worth much more.

Now, anyone who doesn’t know about Rupinder Gandhi will not get any insight into him or his life even after watching the film. The question mark in the title of the film is actually for the filmmakers, who must question themselves.

jasmine@tribunemail.com