The prude in you might balk at the shocking dialogues in racy drama The Dirty Picture, but others will heave a sigh of relief as leads Vidya Balan and Naseeruddin Shah breathe life into it.
With lines such as "Nothing Sells Like Sex" and "You need dancers like me to feel honourable and superior", which capture the pulse of the film, director Milan Luthria has culled out the nuances of a flesh-fuelled film industry, its narcissistic superstars and the flamboyance of the curvaceous dancers in all its entirety.
But somewhere there's an element of predictability in the film. While the first half of the film, which traces the rise of Silk from a small-town village girl to a sex-bomb is gripping, it's the second half that disappoints.
Why do all actors become drunk by their own success literally? Is there no other way to celebrate your place at the top? I was reminded of Priyanka Chopra's model act in ‘Fashion' in some of the scenes.
Having said that, Balan as Silk revels in this unofficial bio-epic of the Eighties' doomed dancing diva Silk Smitha. She's unapologetically vulgar, unscrupulous and down-market. Even the way she climbs her way to the top (pun intended) makes an interesting watch. A curvy Balan - with her pot-belly and all - sinks her teeth into this one.
Shah as a skirt-chasing star forms a perfect foil.
But the same cannot be said for the eccentric, dark and brooding director Ibrahim, played by Emraan Hashmi. His characterisation is hardly consistent as he despises Silk one moment and then falls head over heels in love with her.
That link is neither explained and leaves viewers feeling a tad disoriented. Similarly, Silk - a survivor who utilised her sexuality to reach to the top - and her sudden need for respectability is a bit surprising.
But all is forgiven when you watch some top-notch performance from Balan. And though the film is set in the South Indian film industry, Mumbai-based director Milan Luthria doesn't end up making caricatures of his cousins. There's no exaggerated South Indian accent here.
While the principal reasons given by the cast to tabloid! to watch this film was: "Entertainment, Entertainment and Entertainment", I feel compelled to tweak it a bit. The three reasons to watch this one should be: "Vidya Balan, Vidya Balan and Vidya Balan."
