Fincraft Media, Amruta Films and Third Ace Entertainment’s Phulrani (Marathi; UA) is the story of how an uncouth girl is transformed into a pretty model who goes on to win a beauty pageant. It is based on George Bernard Shaw’s stage play, Pygmalion.
Vikram (Subodh Bhave) runs a model grooming academy and has been instrumental in transforming ordinary girls into successful models. He accepts a challenge of transforming a florist girl, Shevanta (Priyadarshini Indalkar), into a hotshot model. How he does that forms the crux of the story. As Shevanta picks up the threads of being a coveted model, Shevanta and Vikram fall in love with one another. Does Shevanta finally get launched into a modelling career? Do Vikram and Shevanta unite in matrimony?
Guru Thakur and Vishwas Joshi have written a story which can’t be termed novel. In that sense, the story is alright but not the kind which could make the viewers thoroughly excited. The track of Dhruv (Gaurav Ghatnekar) looks forced. For, why the owner of an advertising agency would commit to making a model-to-be the brand ambassador and why he would give the model grooming academy Rs. 1 crore annually as prize money has not been convincingly explained. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of the screenplay penned by Thakur and Joshi. Even otherwise, the screenplay involves the audience in parts only, rather than engaging them wholly and completely. The love story lacks the fire one looks for in romantic tales. Thakur and Joshi’s dialogues are fairly good; the dialogues spoken by Shevanta in the Kolis’ Aagari language are definitely entertaining.
Subodh Bhave performs ably as Vikram. Priyadarshini Indalkar does well in the role of Shevanta. Vikram Gokhale lends fair support as Vikram’s Brigadier-father. Milind Shinde is okay as Shevanta’s father, Hanmatrao. Ashwini Kulkarni is alright as Megha. Gaurav Ghatnekar makes his presence felt in the role of Dhruv. Vaishnavi Andhale is okay as model Riya. Sushant Shelar is so-so as Vikram’s college friend, Saurabh, who is now a news reporter with a television channel. Gaurav Malankar is average as Pintya. Sayali Sanjeev does a fair job. Others do as desired.
Vishwas Joshi’s direction is fair but he has not been able to make a very arresting drama. Music (Nilesh Moharir and Varun Likhate) is appealing but the absence of hit songs is felt. Lyrics (Balkavi, Guru Thakur and Mandar Cholkar) are nice. Subhash Nakashe’s choreography is ordinary. Shakir Shaikh’s fashion choreography is eye-filling. Aditya Bedekar’s background music is so-so. Kedar Gaekwad’s cinematography is quite nice. Santosh Phutane’s art direction is of a fine standard. Guru Thakur and Mahesh Killekar’s editing is fairly sharp but could’ve been tighter.
On the whole, Phulrani is not the film which will win too many hearts.
Released on 22-3-’23 at Plaza (daily 3 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Viacom18 Studios. Publicity: good. Opening: dull in spite of the Gudi Padwa holiday today.