Saif Ali Khan's characterization of Langda, the Iago-like role, is outstanding. From tiny bits of business like having one long, sharp fingernail that he keeps immaculately shaped and polished, to his ugly-face makeup, to his always-excellent timing and mix of vulnerability and toughness, I can't think of a better actor from India for this role. In fact, there may be few actors worldwide who could do this role better than SAK did. There are three SAK scenes I think are destined to become film classics:
His bridge-sitting and drinking scene, with Deepak Dobriyal as Raju, the hapless former fiancé of Dolly (Kareena Kapoor in the Desdemona role).
The scenes of his shock, and subsequent handling of himself, at being ignored and underestimated by Omi Shukla, aka Omkara (Ajay Devgan in the Othello role).
His hilarious, poignant and deeply revealing after-romance scene, with Indu (Konkana Sen Sharma in the Emilia role).
Ajay Devgan is quietly powerful as always, and once again I think I know why Kajol married him. Kareena Kapoor is outstanding as a spoiled but innocent and sincerely in-love young woman, who gives up everything for her lover, and is ready to live according to her best dreams, but is also unequipped and too naive to handle the real world and all the deceptions that swirl around her. Naseeruddin Shah as Bhaisaab, the Brabanzio role, is essence of casual intensity -- he vibrates with meaning with every move he makes, and every breath he takes (yeah, I know that's kind of from a song). Vivek Oberoi, as Kesu (the Cassio role), may be labeled merely adequate here, but I think that's the nature of the role itself (as written in Othello), and echoes of his past choices in film and life. He is really quite excellent in this film. Konkana Sen Sharma's smallish role is something she makes the most of. Every minute of her on-screen presence is memorable. Deepak Dobriyal is funny and moving as a hapless jerk and target of Lambda's casual cruelties. And for the guys, Bipasha Basu is stunning as Billo (the Bianca role), a dancing girl who can really dance, and who really loves her Kesu.
The only reason for a vote below 10 is the length of the film. While 146 minutes may not be long for a BW film in India, it's long for everywhere else. It's clear that tighter editing would have helped the pace in lots of spots. For example: In the last scene, right before the credits, count the number of times the action repeats, and think about how much better those 90 seconds would have been if the count had been reduced by two.
And please do yourself a favor, if you're not from India: See the film in a theater that draws a big Indian crowd. The reason for long Indian films will become organically obvious, and you'll enjoy the humor and understand the ethos of the film better, too.
I saw the film twice, and it held up superbly through the second watching. It was better, in fact.
Excellent direction from Vishal Bharadwaj.
Oh, and I almost forgot, and it would have been a sin to forget this: Superb music! Lyrics by the unsurpassed Gulzar (thank you, dear friends from India, for teaching me about Gulzar), and music by the director himself, Vishal Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj sings on one song; other singers include the legendary Sukhwinder Singh of Chaiyya Chaiyya and other fame, Shreya Goshal (she of the honeyed voice), Sunidhi Chauhan, Rakesh Pandit, Rekha Bardwaj, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Suresh Wadekar. My favorite songs are Omkara, O Saathi Re, and Beedi. Excellent choreography, better integrated with the film than is often the case with BW movies. The choreographer is Ganesh Acharya, who's done work in films such as Shakti and Khakee.
Excellent sets, locations and costuming.
Outstanding cinematography, by Tassaduq Hussain.
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