The Dirty Picture
2011 · Directed by Milan Luthria
Original language: Hindi
- comedy
- drama
The story
After running away from home in search of movie stardom, a village girl rises to become a prominent sex symbol.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated studio colour and a glossy, theatrical sheen give this Hindi film the feel of a 1980s Bombay cinema poster brought to life: sequined costumes under hot stage lights, kitschy song sequences shot with big sweeping camera moves, and crowded film sets full of hand-painted backdrops and bustling extras. The score leans on brassy, boisterous filmi numbers and dholak rhythms that shift into quieter, wistful strings during the more reflective scenes. Pacing is brisk and playful, with comic set pieces and musical interludes alternating with sharper, more melancholy beats about fame's cost. Its ambition is a rise-and-fall shape, a headstrong small-town woman bending the industry to her terms while the people around her grow more compromised. Intensity is moderate: suggestive innuendo and sexual humour throughout, some crude dialogue, a few tense confrontations and an unsettling scene of exploitation, but no graphic violence or gore. Best for viewers who want a lively, sardonic musical drama on a long evening, especially fans of backstage stories and of Vidya Balan's commanding, wry performance.
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