Vishal Bhardwaj is an auteur in Indian cinema, who literally owns every venture he sets out to embark upon. His last 'Haider' was a masterpiece that etched history in the minds of viewers. His latest film 'Rangoon' is a completely different tale where although World War II plays a crucial backdrop but he essentially happens to narrate a love story.

A sweeping tale of love, jealousy and valour located ambitiously, and largely effectively, at a fictional intersection of war, history and generic movie conventions, Rangoon employs a lush and evocative colour palette to recreate an era of strife and rebellion. It is buoyed by superbly modulated performances from the three leads as well as the members of the supporting cast. Rangoon suffers a fair bit on account of its marathon, energy-sapping length and its disappointingly facile climax. But nothing can undermine its power as a risky but worthwhile cinematic idea that has been executed with flair and gumption.

The much anticipated reteaming of Vishal Bhadwaj with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan with the fantastic charm of Kangana Ranaut in the epic period war romantic drama RANGOON is marbled with ambition and has brilliant individual moments. So does Vishal Bhardwaj towering ambition to fuse his known world of freely re-working of Shakespearean tragedies with a period fairy tale fantasy that combines a musical broad way in its way to infuse some nationalism in this 'prem katha' ( love story)?.

When a film is directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, expectations are bound to happen. He is back on the silver screen with his much anticipated Rangoon which could tickle your patriotic bone up to some extent, but the film is an out and out romantic film set against backdrop of World War II. Nawab Ali (Shahid Kapoor) serves British Army and accidentally meets superstar Julia (Kangana Ranaut) on his way to Burma. Rusi Billimoria (Saif Ali Khan), who is the biggest film producer of that time, is madly in love with Julia.

Set in 1940, the film revolves around Russi Billimoria (Saif Ali Khan) a former action star, producer who is the man behind Julia's ( Kangana Ranaut) stardom. After by her for 1000 bucks from an orphanage, Russi makes her an action star and now is her lover too. Julia on the other hand is exuberant, slightly insecure and hell bent on becoming Mrs. Billimoria at the earliest. After Russi promises General Hardings ( Richard McCabe) that Julia will perform for his army men in Burma, the lady sets out on her journey.

She rides a horse across a stage near the India-Burma (Myanmar) border, blindfolds herself to throw knives at targets several feet away, bashes up bad guys, mud wrestles with a muscular soldier and runs swiftly atop a moving train. The point is not that Kangana Ranaut merely manages to do all this in a film. The point is, she is convincing while executing challenging stunts, and looks good while doing them. So, allow me to borrow her character's signature line in Rangoon: Bloody hell!

Since I got to this party early, must say, it won't surprise me if you were kinda confused over whether this is really a movie about a faux fem-dom, pre-modern feminista Julia, a cinema stunt-queen and her escapades; or if this is basically a war-movie. It appears the filmmakers were keen to make a film on India during World War 2, because, to the best of my knowledge, no one has. Julia, the heroine at the centre, is a minor McGuffin at best.

There's something about World War II that fascinates me. Perhaps, it has a lot to do with my fondness for the long-gone era. However, what I find odd is that whenever we -- like-minded friends who are enthralled by history -- discuss World War II or Adolf Hitler's aggression/ambitions, the conversation *always* veers towards the American and European perspective. Hollywood's fascination for World War II is equally evident as you recall several brilliant and a number of okay-ish movies dedicated to World War II. Vishal Bhardwaj also sets RANGOON during that era, when India was still under British rule. But, let me clarify, this is no war film. Vishal uses the World War II template, but narrates an enchanting love story that entwines conflict, deceit, politics and of course, history.

When, within a short while of the film opening, you start casting about for something to hang a peg on, it is never a good sign. I spent most of 'Rangoon' searching for the film. Multiple threads make it up: it is 1943, the British are fighting Hitler, and are up against the rising tide of Indian freedom fighters, split between Gandhi's pacifism, Subhash Chandra Bose's militarism. It's a heavy slice of history for anyone to unpack, and film gets tangled in superimposing a love triangle on the time and place.

Rangoon is a love story set in the 1940s. A time when India as a nation was at the peak of it's freedom struggle. It was also when our countrymen were most divided with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose proposing opposite ideologies to fight the British. A time when amidst all turmoil in the country the film industry was booming and yet struggling to stay alive. The film precisely delves into these three aspects and revolves around Julia (Kangana Ranaut), an actress who portrays bold characters on celluloid.

It may be one of the most awaited films in recent times but Rangoon is a royal misfire. Within minutes of the movie's beginning, you realise the promise of a heart-wrenching period drama was a farce -- a set-up to promote a self-indulgent film that doesn't know what it wants to be. The director Vishal Bhardwaj has desperately tried to play to the gallery, and has miserably failed.

When Rusi Bilmoria (Saif Ali Khan), an ex-film star who has been just a producer since an on-set accident, finds out that his fiance, the love of his life Miss Julia (Kangana Ranaut), also the top star of his company, has cheated on him with a soldier, JamadarNawab Malik (Shahid Kapoor), he turns his head silently towards his woman and looks at her with eyes red with grief, shock and the rage of a thousand suns.

She doesn't want to sit on his lap. Miss Julia is enraged, and all her billionaire boyfriend Russi Billimoria does -- as the man in charge, her lover, her producer -- is slap the inside of his left thigh, inviting his tigress to clamber aboard so he can make it all better. She seethes while he smugly and knowingly slaps his goddamn thigh. Julia wants to defy him, but dare not, and she cycles through her fury, before, in her own way, showing as much non-compliance as may be mustered.

The film is a war-romance set in pre-independent India. As is known, there were differing strands in the movement. Mahatma Gandhi adopted ahimsa to get freedom; Subhash Chandra Bose was the force behind the Indian National Army that got on the front foot to boot the enemy out. Even as this strife played out, Julia (Kangana), the daredevil actress of the 40's ruled hearts. Closer home, her married producer Russi Billimoria (Saif) is besotted with her and at the border, Jamadar Nawab Malik (Shahid) loves her to death.