Film Firangi is a regular entertainer with some engaging and comic sequences. !!

Comedian Kapil Sharma made his Bollywood debut with Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon in 2015, which was a good entertainer and motivated by this, Kapil is back on celluloid with his newest offering Firangi, which has been produced by him too. Since he is also the producer of the movie, he has taken himself a little seriously while acting. Director Rajiev Dhingra, who also begins his Bollywood innings with this movie, does a good job in telling an exciting tale set in pre-Independence India, but upsets with his sluggish narrative.

 

With the backdrop of a small village in Punjab during the pre-Independence Era, Firangi revolves around Manga (Kapil Sharma), who has a God-given gift to straighten cramped backs with a well-placed kick. Though Manga is quite sought after for this talent, his father considers him a good-for-nothing fellow, particularly because he constantly fails to crack the police exams and get a job. When Manga straightens the back of British officer Mark Daniels (Edward Sonnenblick), the ‘grateful gora’ offers him a job as an orderly, which makes Manga believe that his dreams of marrying the love of his life Sargi (Ishita Dutta) will finally come true.

 

But tragedy happens when Daniels and the local ruler Raja Indraveer Singh (Kumud Mishra) conspire to grab the land on which Sargi’s village is located, in order to construct a liquor factory. It is now up to Manga (who is accused of being the enemy by the villagers because of his job as a British Government employee) to step in and save the day.

 

Kapil Sharma is good enough as Manga. Kapil has put in efforts for sure. Being a stand-up comedian, he might surprise you in few of the scenes but he must learn how to romance. Slow motion and emoting feelings just don't suit him. He is good with comedy and must stick to it. Ishita, who essays his ladylove Sargi, doesn’t have much to do except for blushing or weeping when things don’t go her way. Inaamulhaq is brilliant in his role. Edward has the tough job of essaying a Brit officer and yet not coming across as a conventional ‘angrez’ rogue in a pre-Independence era movie, but he manages to do it commendably whereas Monica Gill, Rajesh Sharma, Anjan Srivastava, Inaamulhaq and Kumud Mishra, have acted graciously.

 

The narrative is heavily borrowed from Lagaan. Like Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), Manga (Kapil Sharma) must lead a group of villagers to dare a British officer Mark Daniels (Edward Sonnenblick, modelled on Captain Russell) with the help of his kind romantic interest Shyamli (Monica Gill, like Russell's sister Elizabeth). Ishita Dutta essays Sargi, like Gracy Singh's character Gauri. Mark desires to forcibly vacate Sargi's village for monetary gains and Manga must protect the land to win over Sargi's parents. 

 

Unquestionably, Director narrates an engaging story. But, he beautifully crafts the era and weaves purity in romance but forgets to edit the movie effectively. The humour, though not bad, is not of the level that we have come to anticipate from someone like Kapil Sharma and audiences with high anticipations may get upset. First half is interesting, but the film loses out on its climax, which is unreasonable and hilarious. Film has the extra-long second half with an elaborate chase sequence. The run-time of the movie is 160 minutes which makes it’s a little boring affair.

 

Overall, Firangi is a regular entertainer with some engaging and comic sequences.