The scene opens in Mumbai. Even though it is a completely made-up fact that there are more gangsters in the Hindi heartland than in Mumbai. The only difference is that there they’re called ‘MLAs’.
If the vivid visuals of the Gateway of India, CST Terminus and kids pooping outside Dharavi don’t make it crystal clear, the first words the narrator says are ‘Mumbai’. Lest the audience forget that the movie is about Mumbai, the movie uses the lines ‘Ye Mumbai Hain’ 27 times.
The narrator then introduces us to the lead character, the Young Don and is not seen again until the end of the movie. Young Don is based on an ugly-as-snot gangster and played by a handsome-than-most actor. Young Don embodies one of three personality types — innocent and poor, hot-headed and poor or silent and poor. Poverty is one of the requirements to become the king of the Mumbai underworld. Rich crooks do not exist here. The government could not extradite them.
Young Don is your average, run-of-the-mill Mumbai youth. He gets into some fights but usually keeps his nose clean. He tries to live out a simple life but the writers have other plans. Through some twisted roll of dice in the casino that is Life, he comes across the Big Don. The guy running the show who is the king of Mumbai. Big Don proclaims that he rules Mumbai when he meets Young Don. Big mistake. All gangster movies have taught us, you don’t say that you’re the king if you want to keep your throne. Especially, in front of an up-and-coming gangster. Indian gangsters don’t seem to watch Indian gangster movies. What’s a good word for such people? Oh yes, tasteful.
Young Don impresses the Big Don and starts working for him. Over time, he comes in touch with the Big Minister. The Big Don’s best friend. It’s always the big ministries in such a case — home, PWD or Chief. You never see the women & child development minister cozying up to the Big Don. The Big Minister takes the Young Don under his wing and provides various tasks for him to carry out. The Young Don goes onto shoot people, fall in love with a bar dancer, stab people, buy a house or car for his old mother, slit throats and rise up the ranks of the gang. The ease with which he rises makes sense due to the attrition rates. Quick promotions are a guarantee if your colleagues are getting killed every week.
Amidst this, we’re introduced to the Police Man. The villain of the story. A nefarious monster who wants to reduce crime in Mumbai. A well-educated and smart officer who wants the city to remain peaceful and for builders to not die. How dare he, the movie almost seems to scream. The Police Man makes it his personal mission to arrest and kill the Young Don. Who is not so young anymore and has completed a hostile takeover of the city to become the Big Don. Which he ascertains by standing near a popular Mumbai landmark and proclaiming that he rules Mumbai. Rookie mistake.
A cat-and-mouse game starts between the cops and robbers. Interesting that there is no game named as such. Thieves-and-police? Doesn’t quite have the same ring. Anyway, some people get killed. This usually includes the Big Don, the Police Man’s Wife or the Love Interest (Who Accepted The Role Only For The Money). Someone betrays The Not-So-Young Don. Usually his best friend. He falls back to the Big Minister for help who can’t do anything. He is busy with the most common season of India, Election Season. Ironic as election season is the only time ministers help the people. Left hopeless and alone, Not-So-Young Don decides to either repent or escape to a foreign land. Neither strategy works as Police Man kills him in an encounter.
The audience goes home tittering about how realistic the movie was. Even though at the end, Young Don did not join politics.
Directed by Ram Gopal Verma. Of course.
