‘Gangster’, Aashiq Abu’s most-awaited Mammootty starrer, hits the screens this weekend.
It’s time for the guns to go amok, wheels to vroom and halt with a screech, and Mollywood’s most stylish don to stroll in. Opening the doors to a world embroiled in crime and gore is Aashiq Abu’s ‘Gangster’, the most-awaited Vishu release that hits the screens this weekend. With its fair share of drama and intrigue, the film promises to be everything expected of an underworld action adventure. “‘Gangster’ is basically an action-drama set against the backdrop of Mangalore’s organised crime groups,” says scenarist Ahmed Sidhique.
‘Gangster’, as its title suggests, gets you up close and personal with Akbar Ali Khan, its formidable hero. Akbar, son of Illyas Ali Khan, is the scion of a mafia group. The empire of crime is passed on to him as a legacy and now he finds himself at the upper echelons of the illegal network. “The Mangalore underworld is controlled by a trio, the other two being Mani Menon played by Kunjan and Uncle Sam played by John Paul. More details about characters and their motivations will give away the plot,” says Ahmed.
The film has two lead ladies - Nyla Usha who appears on screen as Dr Sana Ibrahim and Aparna Gopinath who plays Lilly. Sekhar Menon sheds his adorable demeanour for the film to step into the shoes of Anto, a businessman with streaks of grey. Since Mangalore being the main location, with parts being shot in Ajmer and Goa, ‘Gangster’ also has a couple of newbies and Kannada theatre artists in its cast.
‘Gangster’ created quite a flutter from the day it was announced. If Mammootty’s brooding first-look posters garnered much attention, it’s official trailer added to the frenzy with record number of hits. The inherent drama of the genre and an impressive line-up of stars - no wonder expectations went skyrocketing.
So, apart from its spic-and-span looks and promises of unalloyed action what else has the film in store? Will it be another clone of the routine mobster flicks and Ahmed says: “Though it’s a massive genre, most of the gangster flicks have an identity of their own. In ‘Gangster’ Aashiq Abu has gone for a fresh-and-brisk treatment and that will be one highlight of the film.”
He has sported grey even before, but not to make any style statement. Mammootty’s salt-and-pepper hair in the film sparked quite a buzz as the actor was given a total makeover to play the dapper don. As per gossip mills, he lost ten kilos for the film which features him in sleek jackets and swanky goggles. “But there has been no over-the-top effort as subtlety is the essence of his new look,” says Ahmed. The film produced by OPM will hit the screens this weekend.