Shootout At Wadala is the sequel of 2007 movie Shootout At Lokhanwala. The film is an adaptation of the book titled Dongri to Dubai written by Hussain Zaidi. The film will dramatize the first-ever registered encounter by Mumbai police, where gangster Manya Surve was shot dead, which took place at the junction next to Dr. Ambedkar college, Wadala, Mumbai on 1 November 1982.
Plot doesn’t seem to be too different from the usual mafia movie fare but it does hold its own. Though the movie has its share of loop holes, it still manages to get a nod from most of the viewers. The film is a sort of biopic that revolves around the rise and fall of notorious goon Manya Surve (John Abraham) who ruled over parts of Mumbai and messed around with his rivals Zubair (Manoj Bajpayee) and Dilawar (Sonu Sood). Along the way he also gets to show us his human side, make love to his girlfriend Vidya (Kangana Ranaut) and play the loyal friend to Sheikh Munir (Tusshar Kapoor) and his hoodlum. Like every Gupta film, there are ample cops to fill up a brigade with Anil Kapoor and Ronit Roy leading the ranks. Wadala beings as a flashback told in a van driven against a badly framed green screen with a bleeding Manya fleshing out the juicy details of his past to Anil Kapoor who plays the moderator and intervenes after every song and dance break.
Wadala works because it shamelessly epitomizes its genre and has no qualms about being what it is – an over the top action drama. There are moments that keep the tension intact, especially the second half where Manya takes on the Imtiaz brothers head on. John Abraham deserves credit for physically and emotionally giving his all to the role. Watching the actor flex those biceps and show his well chiseled torso in that slow motion frame where he clings on to a BEST bus is a killier. He might not have the right dialect or the body language to carry off that Dadar-Parel localite vibe, but he compensates for it with his screen presence and well executed action scenes. Tusshar Kapoor who plays his side kick, sinks his teeth into the meaty role and chews on every scene written to showcase his diversity. The ensemble of supporting actors gives Wadala a definitive edge. Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Sonu Sood and Ronit Roy despite the short comings of their characters are 100% in character all the time and never lose the pulse of what’s happening around them.
Despite the pace and massy dialogues the film has several loop holes. The songs are jarring, especially when Manya goes from being menacing to doing some ridiculous dance steps next to a gyrating Sophie Choudary-Sunny Leone-Priyanka Chopra. Watch it at a single screen to experience its true flavor.
