A lot has been said and written about the film in the last week or so, thanks to the controversies surrounding the plot and its inspirations. The disclaimer makes it even more obvious as to whose life this film/plot is based on.
Most reviews I read have been going gaga over the film and have drawn comparisons to films with similar plots in the past.
First things first. If you have seen gangster films based on the Mumbai underworld, the likes of Company or Satya, "Once upon a time..." pales in comparison. Its a tad too long and the slow narrative doesn't help much. It can easily do with atleast half hour of trimming.
Every character speaks cliched, long winding, phrase-laden dialogues. Maybe its the Ekta Kapoor connection!
Ajay Devgn is good as Sultan Mirza, the smuggler, who is head over heels in love with the Bollywood actress Rehana (Kangana Ranaut in a role that lacks any scope).
Emraan Hashmi is the films biggest let down. As Shoaib Khan, he plays the ambitious petty thief who idolizes Sultan Mirza and wants to emulate him. At most places, the expressions fall flat and with them the ambitions of the character too. The scene where Shoaib and his friends go to a pub and start dancing is risible stuff. Prachi Desai does not have much to do either, except looking pleasing to the eyes, which she does with aplomb. I am not sure how much such roles are gonna help Randeep Hooda's career in B-town.
The songs, except Pee Loon and Tum Jo Aaye, do not make any sense in the narrative and could easily have been done away with. The background score is good at most places and is one reason why you sit through most parts of this snail paced film. The guitar theme is quite catchy.
Cinematography is good and easy on the eyes. It also helps that there aren't any violent or gory scenes in the film, which is generally the case with most gangster flicks. Milan Luthria deserves a pat for this.
In my opinion, its a pretty average film that is benefiting from the hype and controversy around it. Watch it, if you don't have a better option.
