~ Bhoomi: Box Office & Reviews Thread ~

Director: Omung Kumar

Writers: Raaj Shaandilyaa (screenplay), Sandeep Singh (story)

Distasteful as it may sound, rape and retribution seem to dominating Bollywood. After Maatr and Mom, Omung Kumar, who showed a spark with Mary Kom, seems to have fallen into the trap of making formula. And while every filmmaker argues that movies on rapes are 'socially-relevant'; you keep asking yourselfis all the gore on screen justified.

Here, our very own Arun and Bhoomi are a doting father-daughter team living in Agra. They tug at your heartstrings with their chirpybaap-beti routine of cooking meals, colouring beards and combing hair. However, after a point the bittu-beti endearments rankle. But that's not the only thing that rankles here.

When Bhoomi gets raped just a day before her wedding, you know which way the film will go. The insensitive cops, the lame public prosecutor, the even lamer defence and the whole court-room drama where it has become fashionable to discuss the heroine's virginity makes you want to scream. Statistics of rapes are rattled off by all and sundry and the word 'rape' is used so frequently that it almost knocks you dead.

But like it's said, every cloud has a silver living; Bhoomi has Sanjay Dutt. Returning to the marquee after his incarceration, the actor wears the lines of his face with confidence. You can tell right away that the lion has aged but he's got terrific screen presence.

Aditi is also remarkable, first as the stuttering, sweet girl and later as the woman seeking revenge. Sharad is too much the caricatured villain from the 80s, mouthing stupid lines. The overall writing is clunky. Artur Zurawski's camera work is efficient. Sachin-Jigar have composed a couple of foot-tapping numbers that don't necessarily have recall but when they are playing, you find yourself grooving.

Watch Bhoomi for Dutt. He's from that era of larger-than-life heroes who get you to whistle even when he is killing people. You may not approve of his thirst for blood but you can't fault his swagger.

3/5

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