If its produced by Karan Johar, expect good production value, beautiful sets, nice costumes and choreography. But beyond that there is not much to see in Kalank.
Despite getting a long weekend (good Friday) release, the movie is nowhere close to the Rs. 100 crore mark. The movie was made on a lavish udget of rs. 80 crore.
There are lot of characters in the film, but once they are introduced, the movie doesn’t keep you engaged.
There are some good dialogues, but more efforts should have been put in the script to develop the characters further, because the film looks crowded.
And there are lot of scenes which you feel could have been avoided. For example the bull fighting scene, which you also see in the trailer. That scene was not required, and it doesn’t feel realistic (the bull is animated). Likewise, the scene between Varun Dhawan and Aditya Roy Kapur, where they shout at the top of their lungs to let go; again you have seen such scenes so many times in movies, could have been edited to keep the length of the film smaller.
Madhuri dixit, as the tawaif impresses. Varun Dhawan and Alia also impress with their performances. Sanjay Dutt and Sonakshi Sinha have small roles, not much to do. Kriti Sanon is wasted in the item song. Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Khemu also do a decent job.
As far music is concerned, the title track is excellent and there are a couple of more good songs.
You can definitely watch the film once, but in the end, you are likely to feel a bit of disappointment as rthe movie looks promising in the beginning, and has a great cast.
Here are more critics reviews for Kalank.
Ratings: 2/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site: News18
For all its picture-perfect imagery and gorgeous lighting, the terrific dancing by both Alia Bhatt and especially Madhuri Dixit, and for all the beauty poured into every frame, the film ultimately comes off stuffy and over-crowded. It’s too ‘designed’ and leaves very little room for the characters to breathe.Just shy of three hours Kalank is ultimately tiring and heartbreaking even. You can see the talent on screen. If only there was a sharper script to harness it. I’m going with two out of five.
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Ratings: 2/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Kalank has unmistakable contemporary resonance because it celebrates the transformative power of love in the time of rampant hatred. The film is worth a viewing not only for what it says, but also for how it packages its pacifist statement.
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Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Anupama Chopra Site:Filmcompanion
Kalank is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, not directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Director Abhishek Varman is a good disciple. He has taken the signature Bhansali tropes and reworked them into a tangled tale set in 1940s India. Kalank is driven by aesthetics and heightened emotion. Beautiful people in exquisite clothes suffer in soft lighting. Like Bhansali, Abhishek creates an operatic fantasy filled with staggering sets, swirling fabric and heartache. Let me warn you – this film is not for everyone. To enjoy it, you must wholly suspend disbelief. You can’t question the lack of realism or narrative logic or historical authenticity. This is Abhishek’s world. You can only surrender to it.
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Ratings: 1.5/5 Review By: Shubhra Site:Indian Express
Kalank doesn’t really lift off the screen. The whole feels like a giant set, stately and ponderous and minus impact; the characters all costumed and perfumed and largely life-less, sparking only in bits and pieces. As a character says, two-thirds into the film, ‘yeh kissa yahin nipat jaata’. That would have been the best thing.
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Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Rachit Gupta Site: Times Of India
An epic love saga based during the 1940s has so much scope for visual detailing and finesse. While Kalank scales up the production in every aspect, at times, the world that it recreates looks a little too plush and away from reality. The film features arresting frames full of grand visuals captured by cinematographer Binod Pradhan and the music by Pritam has stand out songs like Ghar More Pardesiya and the Kalank title track. At 2 hours and 48 minutes, with a tighter edit the story could have wrapped up much sooner though. Kalank is a true labour of love that tells you a story laced with beautiful moments that will tug at your heartstrings.
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KALANK STORY
The film is set in Husnabad (fictional place), a small town near Lahore when there was talks of partition all round. Roop’s (Alia) marriage to affluent Chaudhary family’s son Dev (Aditya Roy Kapur) is a compromise. She falls for Zafar (Varun Dhawan) who is born in the red light area of Hira mandi. Long-buried secrets come to light when romance blossoms between Zafar and Roop.
KALANK RELEASE DATE: Apr 17, 2019 ( India)
KALANK CAST: Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanjay Dutt
Director: Abhishek Varman
Producer: Karan Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala
Run Time: 2 hour 46 Minutes
