Dange (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Journey that delves deep into the complexities of friends. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant college festival, the movie explores the intricate dynamics between two friends whose paths diverge and ignite a fierce competition.

My Take – Ever since he marked his directorial debut with the cult classic Shaitan (2011), Bejoy Nambiar has been often considered as one of the most versatile and polarizing filmmakers of Indian cinema. Primary accused of choosing style over substance in his ventures.

Now returning to feature film-making, after delving his hands in the OTT space with Navarasa (2021), The Fame Game (2022), Sweet Karam Coffee (2023) and Kaala (2023), director Nambiar‘s latest heads towards a particular Medical college where rivalry and revenge are at the center of all the action.

Inspired by his mentor the maverick filmmaker Mani Ratnam‘s Yuva (2004) and Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004), this one too has been filmed simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi with almost similar settings but a different cast. While the Tamil-language Por stars Arjun Das and Kalidas Jayaram as leads, the Hindi-language has Harshvardhan Rane and Ehan Bhat filling out the same space, leaving T.J. Bhanu to be the only common actor between the productions.

And much like his previous works, this one too is marked with a distinct style, voice and color, resulting in a compelling film that is both edgy and mind-bending at the same time. While the narrative itself is somewhat familiar, its strength lies in its fresh treatment, exceptional cinematography and the electrifying screen presence of its leads that truly elevate the film.

Yes, the story written by Bejoy Nambiar, Neil Julian Balthazar, and Mithila Hegde, pushes too many things into an already layered film. Like there’s a fight against caste-ism, student elections, seniors vs. juniors angst, a revenge plot, women empowerment, campus romance, hostel life shenanigans, a drug angle, childhood trauma, and a life crisis, all thrown together into the mix. Making it quite a chore to separate the different strands in the screenplay.

But director Nambiar revels in the chaos, and makes the film work in its favor. Using all of his suaveness and nuance in doing so to deliver a visually stimulating impactful treat for anyone looking for something different.

Set against the backdrop of a fictional St Martin’s University in Goa, and told in seven chapters, the story mainly follows two of its students, Xavier “Z” (Harshvardhan Rane) and Yuva (Ehan Bhat).

The perpetual senior who has seemed to make up his mind on not passing ever, with his long hair and frequently unbuttoned shirt, the shack owner Z ferries himself around on a quad bike all the while as he tries to submit a thesis, with the help of his dead friend’s sister Rishika (Nikita Dutta), that depression can be cured by narcotics but has been unable to get through mainly because he keeps ingesting the research material, while Rishika has becomes notorious as a dealer, as she helps students in genuine need by supplying them with the right stuff.

Meanwhile, Yuva is the brash blue-eyed new fresher who doesn’t care much for anyone or anything. But upon learning that Z is in the same college takes it upon himself to take revenge and control of the campus from him, all because of a childhood incident in which his senior and former friend was a silent spectator.

Also in the mix is Gayatri (T.J. Bhanu), a student activist who runs a social-welfare platform called Awaaz, who along with Ambika (Tanya Kalra), wants to be the flagbearer of justice for students by taking on Siddhi (Zoa Morani), the college trustee’s daughter with most political clout who only wants to be elected as the GS to take her father’s political legacy ahead. Even as Z and Yuva set up a confrontation, all agendas come into play, intersecting right at the middle.

For the most part, the fictional University is a quintessential Bollywood college where students are cool and liberal. And yet, you believe this world that director Nambiar creates as the film has an extremely novel feel and vibe to it. The themes touched upon are not first world, but quite relatable and familiar.

The central characters are strong, have back stories and are very-well arched. And the underlying tension between junior students and their seniors is well brought out. At one level, the film feels like a full-blown action film, and the fight choreography is raw and visceral. The final fight scene, which takes the form of a full-blown riot, has been crafted well.

One feels like one’s watching the actual footage of a riot and not something filmed for cinema. It’s a quintessentially avant-garde outing, with the camerawork and visually striking cinematography fueling the narrative with frenetic energy, a cast of unconventional faces, and a slick background score adding another layer of depth and engagement.

But the heart of the film lies in its lead performances. The two protagonists of the film, both Harshvardhan Rane and Ehan Bhat, give off the perfect confrontational vibe needed for their roles. Their rivalry feels genuine, and their chemistry is undeniable. The severely underrated Harshvardhan Rane once again proves why he is powerhouse performer and needs to be seen in more roles.

The relative newcomer Ehan Bhat effectively brings out the required anger and sorrow to sell his role. Nikita Dutta, despite a comparatively underwritten role, manages to impress, while T.J. Bhanu commands the screen with her intensity. In other roles, Zoa Morani, Taniya Kalrra, Shreema Upadhyaya, Nakul Sahdev, Mridul Das, Keshav Lokwani and Ruchi Malviya lend able support. On the whole, ‘Dange’ is a visually striking college drama bolstered by its impressive performances.