Movie Name: Queen
Language: Hindi
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao, Lisa Haydon
Director: Vikas Bahl
Year Of Release: 2014
What it is about:
One the eve of her wedding, Rani is called by her fiancé Vijay to meet her at a coffee shop. Hesitant and shy, she arrives only to learn that he wants to call off the wedding. He explains that his lifestyle has changed after living abroad, and her conservative habits would be a wrong match for him. Rani is stunned as he's the one who pursued her a while ago and had loved her for what she is. When Vijay refuses to change his mind, Rani heads home and shuts herself in her room. She then decides to go to her honeymoon alone. The honeymoon that she had been planning for a while to Paris and Amsterdam. After initially hesitating, her parents agree, thinking that a vacation might cheer her up.
Rani arrives in Paris and has a couple of terrible experiences, but is rescued by Vijayalakshmi, a free-spirited woman of French-Spanish-Indian descent, who works at the hotel in which Rani stays. She helps Rani out and together they form a close friendship. Soon, Rani starts embracing her life and learns to make decisions on her own after being told what to do so far by her parents first and later by her fiancé. When she leaves Paris and gets to Amsterdam, she realizes that her hostel room is occupied by three other men from different countries. After a couple of hilarious incidents, she becomes good friends with them and explores the city with them, including shopping for her family at a sex shop. As she meets new people and has new experiences, she discovers herself and the joy of living life on her own terms.
But what happens when Vijay wants to get her back? Will Rani forgive him for jilting her at the last minute and settle down with him?
What I loved about it:
The simplicity, oh the simplicity! There is no doubt that this movie launched Kangana into the big league. Rani is a role tailor-made for her and she does complete justice to it. As a viewer, you can see her evolve from a under-confident young girl, to a confused woman grappling with her own reality, to someone who is confident and positive. The movie is just about her journey and her experiences in the places she travels, but for someone to come from a protected upbringing and witness the carefree scenes of a foreign land, Rani stands out in every scene. Her innocence, her pent up anger and frustration which comes out beautifully in the "Hungama Ho Gaya" song, her realizations, the movie captures all of it in a subtle way. The way she forms friendships with random strangers and how they help her realize her true worth sure is inspiring. The movie doesn't mock her innocence, it celebrates it.
There is a certain charm to every scene in the movie. Using muted warm colors, the frames change gradually just like the fading mehendi on Rani's hand. Some scenes convey a lot without any dialogue in this movie. Like the scene where Rani wakes up in her room on the day of the wedding, after shutting herself, after the confrontation with Vijay. She suddenly realizes that she's hungry and starts unboxing the sweet boxes around her and starts eating the laddoos from it. This scene adds the right note of humor and also makes one realize that no matter how much the heart breaks, hunger always comes to haunt. Next, it is the scene where she dances on the bar top and apes the women by removing her cardigan and slowly sneaks it into the bar shows the anger of the woman dancing aggressively, without denying her innocence and middleclassness. The scene in the climax, where she confronts her ex-MIL-to-be about not having received any calls from her is hilarious and the perfect slap.
Rajkummar Rao is good too as the arrogant Vijay at first, followed by the lovelorn Vijay who wants his woman back. Lisa Haydon is brilliant as the other Vijay in Rani's life. Special mention to Rani's family and best friend. They are the right cast for this movie. But, this is an out and out a Kangana movie. I love her as a person too. She's fearless, speaks her mind, isn't scared of anyone, and does what she feels like. It is almost like Queen transformed this young girl from Himachal into the fiery diva that she is today. I know that a part of this is definitely true.
Runners-up: None.
This post is a part of the A To Z Challenge for April, where my theme for this year is Movies I Love.
I loved Queen! Have seen it so many times. So desi, so perfect and Kangana is tremendous. My boys loved it too. It's an evergreen movie that will always be loved by me. I love Lisa Haydon as well and the other cast was excellent too. It brought back beautiful memories of Amsterdam where I had lived for a couple of months and I visited Paris subsequently.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful script this one had!
DeleteI, too, love this film. And, I am in awe of Kangana. She is my Hero. And, those words you used for her - that's what I feel about you when I read your feminist posts, Soumya. Fearless, speaking your mind, not scared of anyone and doing what you like to do! :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, you just made me day, week, month and year, Shilpa <3
DeleteYou have summed up this movie so so well Soumya; its her growing up that endeared her role to all of us. I loved her tkaing off the cardigan and then sneaking it into her handbag. She was so down to earth and normal that we could identify with her character totally!!
ReplyDeleteYou said it, Shalini! Such an endearing and positive character she is.
DeleteThis is one of those movies I remember fondly for their portrayal of the lead character. It is becoming far too easy for Bollywood to use the 'leave your brains at home' excuse while giving substandard fare. This was a really progressive movie with a great theme that required an uninhibited performance which was perfect for Kangana.
ReplyDeleteBollywood needs to make more movies like these. Period.
DeleteYou know Sowmya, I quite had a feeling that your Q post would feature Queen :)) Every bit of this movie has been made perfectly. As you rightly pointed out the fading colours of her Mehendi, the hunger and her behaviour with rajkumar's mom. A movie i could watch again and again, and I am motivated to actually do an entire blog post on this..
ReplyDeleteHahaha, that was decided for me eons ago :D
DeleteOh yes you should! I can't wait to read it.
Ah! I loved this movie. I have seen it so many times and still enjoy watching it. It's truly a woman's coming of age story and her journey towards self discovery. I loved the Italian restaurant owner and Raj Kumar Rao was fabulous in his role.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. The whole cast was perfect in this one.
DeleteI had seen this movie and am in total agreement with what you have very nicely written here.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you agree to what I have to say, Sir!
DeleteI agree to each and every word you've written here, Soumya. I saw this movie again recently and Man! It is still so hilarious and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! It should be made a mandatory watch for everyone.
DeleteI loved the movie, scene by scene. Though I don't understand hindi, I loved to watch this movie just for the way everything is portrayed in the movie. It is one of the best and happens at some point of time in every woman's life.
ReplyDeleteYou don't understand Hindi? Man, I could teach you :)
DeleteThis movie is going to be remade in every South Indian language looks like.
I love Kangana. Period. and this movie made me cry happy tears.
ReplyDelete