Queen movie review: With Kangana its too good, despite being predictable

‘Queen' celebrates a woman's life and ditches all her regret and somber. Go for it. Stars-***1/2Actors- Kangana Ranaut, Rajkumar Rao, Lisa HaydenDirector- Vikas BahlMusic Director- Amit TrivediKangana Ranaut's Queen is predictable but a feel-good film. Why I mentioned Kangana's name because she is surprisingly the soul of the flick and makes it look extraordinary with her simplicity. Kudos to the lady and director Vikas Bahl who represents a understated women of middle-class family, who although lives in ‘Dilli', but are looked upon by the men-dominated society in a demeaning manner. It's a sheer skill that Bahl possesses of narrating the feminist issue through a drama which doesn't kill its sole aim. Amidst loads of fun and frolic, he puts in numerous small, still gigantic and rarely looked upon conversations between a couple -Rani and Vijay (Rajkumar Rao). In a scene she loses her self completely in a Paris disco displaying some Punjabi ‘tumkas' with her newly-made pal Vijay Laxmi (Lisa Hayden) and recalls when her fiancé slammed her for dancing in one of wedding ceremonies, she drives a car in Amsterdam and looks back when Vijay got irritated while giving her driving sessions. The issue of men, belonging to a ‘modern' family, underestimating a ‘seedhi-saadi' girl of a small business family, isn't new but here it's the innovative treatment which Vikas Bahl gives to make it a masterpiece. Bahl, who wrote and directed ‘Chillar Party' back in 2011, has come a long way in terms of concept and ideas. His ‘Queen' is predominantly a loud-speaker particularly for the new-age women who can't hide their emotions and want to express it in a noisy way. Her Queen Rani sombers at first after being turned down by Vijay just two days prior to the marriage but doesn't want to keep her pre-booked honeymoon trip in vain. So, she decides to go-ahead. With family support she flies to Paris. Looking at the unusual concept, to some it may be another ‘English Vinglish', but I would say Queen is a unique addition to the women-centric dramas. Vikas Bahl mostly uses hesitation and mute conversation of this whole new Kangana whose usual mode of talking seems cute as she delivers dialogues written by herself and Anvita Dutt.Initially, Rani is a struggler to an alien city but soon she turns out to be London University English freak later. The hesitation, while she asks a couple to click her snap, or she asks for a food in a French restaurant, is used enormously as she uses basic words for them. The director never takes an extra duration for the scene to leave its impact. An impact which would give a lump in your throat and which would stay for ample time once you leave your seats. What else remains with you are actors like Bokyo Mish, Jeffrey Ho, Joseph Guitobh, Canadea Lopez Marco who are a beautiful supporters for Rani in the city which is splendidly cinematographed by Booby Singh. But sorry for I am taking you back to Kangana who carries the weight age on her shoulders and sails through nicely in this two hour twenty five minutes runtime drama. She is amusing, innocent and shines in every frame she enters in. Queen is surely a new beginning for her. Rajkumar Yadav who is there for a short appearance does a good job once again. Lisa Hayden too adds good support in the flick. Amit Trivedi gives a brilliant score undoubtedly to the scene and songs like London Thumakda and Badra Bahar among others are nicely composed. I'll go with three and a half stars for the reigning ‘Queen' of Bollywood. It celebrates a woman's life and ditches regret and somber. Go for it.