Mission Raniganj Review: An Opportunity Missed in the Depths of Poor Execution

Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Kumud Mishra, Jameel Khan, Ravi Kishan, Pavan Malhotra, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Sudhir Pandey, Shishir Sharma, Parineeti Chopra

Director: Tinu Suresh Desai

What’s Good: The real-life story on which the film is based & the incidents that follow

What’s Bad: Everything apart from the story

Loo Break: Y.E.S

Watch or Not?: Even if you’re interested in Jaswant Singh Gill’s story, read the articles around it & watch his old interviews rather than watching this lazy, lousy attempt

Available On: Theatrical Release

Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes

Movie Review: Mission Raniganj

In the year 1989, West Bengal’s Raniganj faced the looming threat of heavy rains, yet an entirely different disaster unfolded beneath the ground. Months of silent underground water found its moment to flood in, endangering the lives of 65 miners in the coal mine. It was a disaster that could have ended tragically if not for the heroic efforts of Jaswant Singh Gill, later known as ‘Capsule Gill.’ This is the story of the challenges faced by miners in their relentless pursuit of coal.

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As the miners blasted the walls deep underground, a watergate was breached, leading to a life-threatening situation. While the miners hoped for a lifeline, Jaswant Singh Gill became entangled in the political maneuvering around how to exploit this crisis for the benefit of political parties. His struggle against the system, making the most of limited resources, is the heart of this story.

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Mission Raniganj Movie Review: Script Analysis

Let’s be clear: the criticism here is directed at the film’s execution rather than the story itself. Jaswant Singh Gill’s tale is inherently powerful. The real letdown is Akshay Kumar’s portrayal, marked by what seems like ‘limited efforts.’ If you can’t wrap up a film in 45 days, it’s a disservice to the audience. Even the artificial beard he sports doesn’t match the commitment required for growing one naturally.

The film’s use of green screen is painfully obvious, louder than Ravi Kishan’s incessant yelling. Every scene starkly separates the background from the foreground, making the green screen more conspicuous than ever. It appears that Akshay shot many scenes alone, with choppy editing used to stitch them together with others.

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While it’s a low-budget film, this can’t excuse the subpar VFX presented as part of a ‘real-life, heroic’ narrative. Compare it to the visual quality of the 1979 classic ‘Kaala Patthar,’ which was superior in every aspect, despite being made four decades ago.

Mission Raniganj Movie Review: Star Performance

Akshay Kumar’s prolific work ethic in multiple projects is commendable, but it’s evidently impacting the quality of his films. ‘Mission Raniganj,’ much like ‘Ram Setu,’ sacrifices a compelling narrative for expeditious production. It’s akin to a student claiming to complete hours of homework in mere minutes, only to draw a blank when questioned about its contents.

The film wastes the talents of Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Kumud Mishra, Jameel Khan, Ravi Kishan, and Pavan Malhotra collectively, a testament to the director’s shortcomings.

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Mission Raniganj Movie Review: Direction, Music

Tinu Suresh Desai, who surprised with ‘Rustom’ after ‘1920 London,’ disappoints with ‘Mission Raniganj.’ It raises questions about whether his previous success was a fluke or if someone else ghost-directed ‘Rustom.’ The film is a mess right from the start.

Even the music choices leave much to be desired. Bringing in a talented singer like Satinder Sartaaj and opting for B Praak for the film’s signature song is a puzzling decision. The film had ample resources at its disposal but failed to use them wisely. None of the musical pieces align well, and Sandeep Shirodkar’s background score, while loud, can’t match the decibels of the glaring green screen.

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Mission Raniganj Movie Review: The Last Word

In conclusion, the flaw in ‘Mission Raniganj’ is not the story itself but the lackluster execution. This film deserved a more dedicated team, with Akshay Kumar leading the charge. It’s a missed opportunity to do justice to a compelling real-life tale and a stark reminder that haste in filmmaking often results in mediocrity.

Mission Raniganj Trailer