Cast & Crew
Critic's Rating: 3.0
Prisoners of fate break free…
Lucknow Central Story: Kishan Girhotra’s (Farhan) dreams of becoming a singer are shattered when he is falsely accused of murdering an IAS officer in Muradabad. Pronounced guilty, he is jailed for the crime he never committed. Deprived of the freedom he rightfully deserves, the sun shines on him once again even in captivity, as a bunch of prisoners and an NGO worker (Diana Penty) become his voice and the wind beneath his wings. Can he accomplish his dream of forming a band in the prison or does he manage to escape the dungeon?
Lucknow Central Review: Based on true life events, Lucknow Central is a feel-good, human, prison-break drama that succeeds in manipulating you emotionally, despite being predictable and filmy in portions. While the peg is somewhat similar (barring the undertrial element) to the recent Qaidi Band, Lucknow Central has a distinct execution and is way more evolved.
What essentially works for LC is its classic ‘winning against all odds’ theme. The inmates finding a reason to live and a sense of belonging within the four walls of the Lucknow Central jail instead of their homes is what tugs at your heartstrings. Shunned as misfits and outcasts by the society including their families, the prisoners find solace in each other’s company. Ranjit Tiwari handles this aspect of human alienation and friendship, beautifully. His understated sensibility resonates with his talented star cast, starting with the very impressive Ronit Roy. The actor stands out as the curt, conniving and clever jailer. Sadly, his character is reduced to being a toothless tiger eventually.
Farhan ably carries the film on his shoulders but his efforts to nail his desi character are partially visible. For instance, his flawed English pronunciation seems a tad artificial and inconsistent. (Read Corut for court, rohk for Rock and naan existent for non-existent). Nevertheless, he gets the mannerisms and innate innocence of a small town guy right and makes you weep for his misfortune. Deepak Dobriyal is excellent as always and so are Rajesh Sharma, Inaamulhaq and Ravi Kishan. Diana Penty and Gippy Grewal play their parts well.
Considering the film revolves around music, Rangdaari is a beautiful composition that sums up this fascinating tale of dreamers and fighters, who refuse to give up on life or faith.
Also Read: Lucknow Central review in Hindi
Lucknow Central Story: Kishan Girhotra’s (Farhan) dreams of becoming a singer are shattered when he is falsely accused of murdering an IAS officer in Muradabad. Pronounced guilty, he is jailed for the crime he never committed. Deprived of the freedom he rightfully deserves, the sun shines on him once again even in captivity, as a bunch of prisoners and an NGO worker (Diana Penty) become his voice and the wind beneath his wings. Can he accomplish his dream of forming a band in the prison or does he manage to escape the dungeon?
Lucknow Central Review: Based on true life events, Lucknow Central is a feel-good, human, prison-break drama that succeeds in manipulating you emotionally, despite being predictable and filmy in portions. While the peg is somewhat similar (barring the undertrial element) to the recent Qaidi Band, Lucknow Central has a distinct execution and is way more evolved.
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What essentially works for LC is its classic ‘winning against all odds’ theme. The inmates finding a reason to live and a sense of belonging within the four walls of the Lucknow Central jail instead of their homes is what tugs at your heartstrings. Shunned as misfits and outcasts by the society including their families, the prisoners find solace in each other’s company. Ranjit Tiwari handles this aspect of human alienation and friendship, beautifully. His understated sensibility resonates with his talented star cast, starting with the very impressive Ronit Roy. The actor stands out as the curt, conniving and clever jailer. Sadly, his character is reduced to being a toothless tiger eventually.
Farhan ably carries the film on his shoulders but his efforts to nail his desi character are partially visible. For instance, his flawed English pronunciation seems a tad artificial and inconsistent. (Read Corut for court, rohk for Rock and naan existent for non-existent). Nevertheless, he gets the mannerisms and innate innocence of a small town guy right and makes you weep for his misfortune. Deepak Dobriyal is excellent as always and so are Rajesh Sharma, Inaamulhaq and Ravi Kishan. Diana Penty and Gippy Grewal play their parts well.
Considering the film revolves around music, Rangdaari is a beautiful composition that sums up this fascinating tale of dreamers and fighters, who refuse to give up on life or faith.
Also Read: Lucknow Central review in Hindi
In-depth Analysis
Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.
Summary / Analysis
Spoiler alert! Please do not read the following plot summary if you have not seen the film.Kishen Mohan Girhotra (Farhan Akhtar) is a young aspiring musician from Moradabad, a city in Uttar Pradesh. One fateful day, Kishen gets falsely accused of murder which lands him in Lucknow Central Jail where he’s awaiting his High Court trial for a death penalty. Meanwhile, a diligent NGO worker Gayatri Kashyap (Diana Penty) is compelled to form a band of prisoners for the band competition which is to be held in the dreaded jail of Lucknow Central that year and this is how Kishen’s and her paths cross. Kishen befriends four other inmates — Dikkat Ansari, Victor Chattopahdyay, Purushottam Pandit, Parminder Trehan — convinces them to join the band. Ronit Roy plays the jailor.The criminals long for freedom but when they actually get out on parole, they realise they have more respect in the prison. Once back, they plan to escape from the prison on the day of their performance but Kishen refuses to stick to the plan. He says he will perform as he has promised to the ministers and the jailor. He is then pronounced not guilty by court when his friend speaks in favour of him and clarifying that he hasn't killed anyone. He is released from the prison.
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- What is the release date of 'Lucknow Central'?
Release date of Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty starrer 'Lucknow Central' is 2017-09-15. - Who are the actors in 'Lucknow Central'?
'Lucknow Central' star cast includes Farhan Akhtar, Diana Penty, Inaamulhaq and Gippy Grewal. - Who is the director of 'Lucknow Central'?
'Lucknow Central' is directed by Ranjit Tiwari. - What is Genre of 'Lucknow Central'?
'Lucknow Central' belongs to 'Drama,Action,Music' genre. - In Which Languages is 'Lucknow Central' releasing?
'Lucknow Central' is releasing in Hindi.