Review

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Full marks to director Sanjay Gupta for Kaante’s slick promos. Shot entirely in the US with an all-American crew, Kaante's technical brilliance shines through - right from the initial credts to the end.

Boasting of a phenomenal cast which includes Amitabh Bachchan, Sunjay Dutt and Sunil Shetty, Sanjay Gupta doesn't fail to capitalise on star-power, playing to the gallery with slow-motion sequences of the screen idols in dramatic action or poses.

However, therein lies the film's weakness. For the director's enthusiasm gets the better of him and most of the film looks like it's been lifted straight out of a popular music video.

Also, the film drags in some sequences -- such as when the gang-members scout the Service American Bank prior to the heist, and after the robbery, when they go to collect the hidden loot. The shoot-out sequence with the cops is unconvincing to say the least. Incidentally, no one can understand why the gang keeps repeating that they 'cannot kill a cop and get away with it,' immediately after the shootout where they've probably mowed down dozens of cops! Warning: Don't complain if the film reminds you of sequences from Usual Suspects and Reservoir Dogs!

To his credit, Sanjay has not given in to the temptation of focusing on the biggest star in the cast, namely, Amitabh, and lets every character develop on its own. In spite of the great performances all around, perhaps the most convincing of them all is the deadly Dutt, who is possibly helped by his off-screen persona and his rugged looks.

In fact, Pritish Nandy, who came on stage with the cast during the premiere of the film at Metro, commented, "You have seen Sunju in the news for all the wrong reasons recently, but after Kaante he will be in the news for all the right reasons!"

The biggest surprise, of course, is actor-turned-director-turned-actor Mahesh Manjrekar who will have you cracking up with his antics and one-liners throughout the film, though he has a tendency to mumble and eat up some of his dialogues later on, much to audience irritation.

The tremendous hype the film has received has ensured a great initial for Kaante, however, whether it manages to sustain audience interest through the coming weeks remains to be seen.