BOLLYWOOD

It's a first in Bollywood, Jhakaas action with kick-ass editing. It's so sharp that the cuts back and forth leave you breathless even as the action unfolds with typical Hollywood finesse. The screenplay blends seamlessly into every scene, past or present and the sound will truly get you. This is Bollywood at its best when it comes to action, direction, screenplay, editing, sound and cinematography. In short, this is Tashan - The Ishtyle, The good luck, The pharmoola!

Take a bow Mr Sanjay Gupta. I know you are the producer, but there is no mistaking your signature style.

What's even more unbelievable is that the story is a simple kidnap for ransom drama. But the intriguing plots within, layered between every scene is what is truly outstanding. Director Suparn Verma handles each scene with gay abandon.

Action director, Tinu Verma has set a benchmark, which will give Allan Amin sleepless nights! Cinematographer Sahil Kapoor takes you on an aerial tour of South Africa, capturing the beauty of the land. His use of camera angles and movements is slick... very, very slick. It's so real that you feel what the character on the screen is feeling. Bunty Nagi has clipped each scene and merged the past and present, peeling off every confusing layer with effortless ease. Oscar Winner Resul Pookutty takes this sound to another level. Be it the choppers homing in on the villain's car or the bullets being fired, or even the highway chase, his sound takes you right where the action is. Art Director Nitish Roy takes us away from Mukesh Mills to this Acid Factory. See it to believe it. Not ostentatious, but very real. Styling by Shantanu, Nikhil and Shahid Aamir also deserve special mention, as also the music by Shamir Tandon, Manasi Scott, Gourov Dasgupta, Bappa Lahiri and Ranjit Barot. For Manasi, it's a first as she has sung, composed, written the lyrics and even enacted her song on screen.

Now for the acting. Everyone is in a class of his or her own. Fardeen Khan, Dia Mirza, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani and Danny Denzongpa. The portrayal of every character and the eventual betrayal is carried off with style and delivered with conviction. Irrfan Khan makes a drastic shift form his usual dialogue delivery to suit the character of Kaiser he so chillingly displays. Danny is style personified while Manoj Bajpai gets a complete makeover. Dino for once stands out in his role and Fardeen Khan gives us glimpses of the style and grace his late father, Feroze Khan, once displayed on screen. This lad is slowly coming into his own.

As for Dia Mirza, she makes a solid impact even though she comes in the second half. Cool, calculating, and confident, a performance hitherto not seen from this former Miss India. This has been her Acid test!

Divulging anything about the story would be a grave injustice, to you, dear reader. But one word of caution. Keep alert at all times. Even if you blink for a second, you may miss a vital link that will help you unravel the mystery along with the characters, who incidentally, are suffering from a temporary memory loss.

Keep a watch out for Sultan, JD, Romeo, Max, Om and Sartak. They are your vital clues to this jigsaw.

I have just one grouse though. Why did Kaiser send Romeo out of the Factory to shoot Sartak? That is the only jarring note for me because Kaiser is portrayed as a merciless killer.

If you love the thrill and chill with fast-paced action, ACID FACTORY cannot be missed.