So, how much cleavage and cigarette-smoking does it take to bust into Bollywood? Well, apparently lots. Which is what we see in The Dirty Picture, courtesy of Vidya Balan. The rise and fall of a soft-porn film star is fascinating, no doubt, but I think it could have been even more fascinating if it were packaged within a storyline that was a little more gripping. Because what we have here is a threadbare plot of a story that seems to fall apart in the scenes in which Ms. Balan is not present.
And speaking of Ms. Balan, I think she’s done a fine job, only it would have helped if her hips were a little more substantial. At the risk of invoking the displeasure of all her many fans in this movie, I would say that she’s unfortunately lacking that extra measure of ‘oomph’ that would need to have been a staple in every single frame of this movie. Fact is, she’s got too sweet of a face that makes her look like the girl next door when she’s not showing cleavage. But for whatever it is worth, she does work hard to convey that care-not attitude of a woman trying to make it in a man’s world.
Naseeruddin Shah, on the other hand, does a most excellent job in portraying a Bollywood actor who is as insecure as he is creepy. Bravo, Mr. Shah– you’ve still got it going on! The other two love-interests in Ms. Balan’s character are so-so. Where’s the chemistry, please?
If anything, this movie has piqued my interest in checking out some of Silk Smitha’s movies, the hot-potato actress this movie is supposedly based on.
