Directed By: Hansal Mehta 
Produced By: Bhushan Kumar
Cast: Kangana Ranaut 
Duration: 2 hours 04 minutes
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 2.5/5

Once, there was a small girl. She asked her mother, “Mom, what’s a good girl?” Her mother answered, “If you are a good girl, you get a boyfriend”. The girl asked, “And what if I become a bad girl?” Her mom said, “Then you get many!”

Sums up Simran’s character. Badass and beautiful. Free as a storm, pellucid as a river. Lovable in all her mistakes. If not for Kangana Ranaut, ‘Simran’ would probably be an exhausting watch.

Praful Patel (Kangana Ranaut) a 30-year-old divorcee has every possible annoyance in her life. Her parents pester her to marry again. She doesn’t have enough money to buy a house of her own. The woman who looks and acts chirpy and delighted with her life on the surface, has dark patches of loneliness and futility, underlying. Her forage of prosperity leads her to a mistake, then another, and another. Finally you know, she is in deep mess.

Kangana possesses this strange ability to literally wear the shades of her character, in every film. ‘Simran’ is no exception. In fact, she lives the confusions, the catastrohpes, the let-downs and the deliberate happiness with the finesse of a seasoned performer. But the best part is something else. She doesn’t take shelter of past tragedies to justify her present self. She is badass without being apologetic. She refuses sex without protection and shrugs off relationships that are over. She says no when necessary, and pleases no one. She falls in love, and falls out of love too. She admits her needs, and does act needy at times. She soaks her life with every bit of her fibre. They all are what make her a bit like all of us. In a long time, Praful Patel is the most progressive female character that doesn’t scream rebel, but subtly acts like one. And she’s a slap to Bollywood’s otherwise stereotyped depiction of ‘strong’ women.

If you exclude Kangana’s coruscating deliverance, you’ll be left with less than what you expected. Hansal Mehta, whose proficiency in making slice-of-life films is adored, puts in all efforts to come up with an emotionally riveting, subdued tale with a number of familiar crises which is at the same time, a lighter watch. But in that case, the comedy quotient should’ve been higher. We’ve certainly seen better from him. At more than one place, ‘Simran’ has taken supererogatory cinematic liberty. As a result, a chunk of the film is unconvincing. There are high chances it will convince you that robbing banks is easy. Don’t give up to that inspiration!

Further, throughout the first half, the pace keeps drowning down, making it rather tedious. Despite strongly sketched emotions and supporting actors who manage it fairly well, it feels long. Sohum Shah, for the first time in a kind of romantic role, pulls it off well, accompanied by Kishori Shahane and Hiten Kumar.

Shot like sunshines by Anuj Rakesh Dhawan and ornamented with soothing music by Sachin-Jigar, the film’s production values won’t let you down. But these don’t save a weak screenplay.

But, let’s give the ‘Queen’ what she deserves. Watch ‘Simran’ for a mind-blowing Kangana.

P.S. Only once you watch the film will you know why is it titled ‘Simran’.

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