We all have been absolutely in awe of the 70’s era of Bollywood whether we were born in 80’s or 90’s. An era of Sholay, Deewar, Trishul, Kala Patthar, Kalicharan, Dostana, Kurbaani and many blockbusters whose one-liners we have recited ever since. But filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar has shown this love in an out of length manner by making a complete movie as a tribute to the 70’s era of Bollywood. So is Gunday, an ode to the Bachchan’s style, Saleem Jaaved’s stories, friendship woes above love, resentment against the system, helpless childhood grown into a powerful youth, cabarets, bell-bottoms, and the fireworks dialogues. Gunday is an affair with the most charismatic era of Bollywood, the dawn of anti-heroes, angry young man and glamourized crime. Probably the love for the nostalgia of filmmaker is the only reason to make Gunday.

Gunday is about two childhood friends Bikram(Ranveer Singh) and Bala(Arjun Kapoor) thrown into the other side of the border during the Bangladesh war. Their bond grows during the darkest times of the refugee camp fighting for food and running to save their lives. A cross-border smuggler Lateef offers them to work as gun carriers. An army officer in the refugee camp asks Lateef to leave Bikram as his sex slave. Bala kills the officer in revenge. They escape Bangladesh by train and reach Kolkatta(Calcutta then). We witness their journey from gun carriers to coal bandits to the most celebrated Gundays of the organized crime in Calcutta. ACP Satyajeet Sarkar(Irfan Khan) is delegated to arrest them. Nandita (Priyanka Chopda), a cabaret dancer enter their lives and becomes their love interest. She sows the seed of enmity between inseparable Bikram and Bala. From here onwards story is as predictable as the plot of potboilers of 70’s and 80’s.

The opening sequence of the movie is promising, the darkness and hopelessness of the refugee camp brought together by the effects cinematography and art direction set the tempo right. The first half is bright and has some sunshine moments that brings smile especially the journey of Bikram and Bala and the way they woo their heroin until Nandita calls the boys to declare who has she set her heart upon. The second half becomes sluggish with the usual fight for women, revenge, sad songs sequences, and very evident surprises and twists. Every song on the second half makes you check your watch.

The performances by the lead actors and the bromance between them keep the entertainment quotient intact. Ranveer Singh is every bit of a star, even if he is out of focus in the frame, however, he needs to settle down with ebullient facial movements and flamboyance. Though he has carried the role of cooler and more sensible among the duo with near perfection, he seems have landed straight from Ram-Leela sets in some shots. Arjun Kapoor, on the other hand, is more convincing as the hot-headed yet vulnerable another half. Priyanka Chopda is sizzling hot in her character as a police officer in disguise of a cabaret dancer. She pulls off some emotional scenes really well.
Saurabh Shukla has a small but substantial role. He is the only sane character. Irrfan Khan is unquestionably apt for his character as the shrewd police officer but the poor characterization and plot snatch all the surprises and fun of his part.

Gunday is a tribute to Salim-Javed, Amitabh-Mithun-AnilKapoor genre of cinema. The director has taken creative liberty to a far extent while making it a period film as there are some evident loopholes. On the other hand it has everything alluring for today’s commercial success. Watch it for the two angry young men, their “gundey wale tevar”, the chemistry between them, great one-liners, the coal mines last time glamourized in Kaala Patthar and if you want to indulge in nostalgia. Predictable yet enjoyable.