The intersection of these two themes is what adds layers of complexity to Kalank. The joint efforts of the cast add the proverbial punch to the experience of 'Kalank'. 'Kalank' is a true labour of love that tells you a story laced with beautiful moments that will tug at your heartstrings. Of course, since “Kalank” is the kind of movie that it is — namely, a swoony romantic epic that exploits political upheavals only for their value as impediments to lovers, star-crossed and otherwise — Zafar has far more personal reasons to despise Dev. Without revealing too much, during a visit to Bahaar Begum's chamber (where Roop is honing her music skills) Roop meets Zafar, the local blacksmith and after several meetings they develop strong feelings for each other. Tackling partition, as a theme, is never easy. Updated: 17 Apr 2019, 04:46 PM IST Uday Bhatia. Bhatt, for her part, is granted a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon-like leap in her introductory scenes for absolutely no reason at all. Events leading to the 1947 Partition of India serve as the forebodingly serious backdrop for the exhaustingly overextended razzmatazz of “Kalank,” writer-director Abhishek Varman’s lavish but ponderous Bollywood extravaganza, which opened in the U.S. on more than 300 screens the same day as its Indian release. This period drama is mounted on a lavish scale and whether it's the sets or the costumes, everything about the film brings the grandeur alive. Attempting to over-simplify it into a good guy-versus-bad-guy series of squabbles instigated by one religious community, however, is irresponsible. The film has one song too many and is marred by the filmmaker’s tendency to drag out pivotal scenes to the extent that they lose their intensity and become unintentionally farcical.

In the meanwhile, communal tensions are at an all-time high in Husnabad, where the local newspaper run by the Chaudhrys is losing readership and public support owing to Dev’s strong anti-partition views as well as support for steel factories, which the British government is keen to introduce to the region. It's uneven but enjoyable, and you'll decide if you'll like within the first 20 minutes. It is a stunningly plated meal, but needed salt. Read Next: Agents, Sales Companies Unveil Online Market Set With American Film Market, ‘The Artist’s Wife’ Review: Lena Olin and Bruce Dern Excel in Tom Dolby’s Drama About a Couple Coping With the Husband’s Alzheimer’s, ‘Pearl’ Review: Anthony LaPaglia and Larsen Thompson Are Well-Matched in an Uneven but Affecting Drama, ‘Paydirt’ Review: Val Kilmer Lays Down the Law in Derivative Crime Thriller, Matthew McConaughey Reveals He Was Sexually Abused as a Teen in New Memoir, Rudy Giuliani’s Compromising Appearance in New ‘Borat’ Film Raises Questions Ahead of Election, How ‘Scream 5’ Directors Convinced Neve Campbell to Return to the Franchise Without Wes Craven, Ariana Grande’s New Album: Everything We Know So Far, NBC News Says Tucker Carlson ‘Dangerously and Dishonestly Targeted’ Its Reporter, Stephen Colbert Mocks Rudy Giuliani for Controversial ‘Borat 2’ Scene, Lee Min Ho Among Six Cast in ‘Pachinko’ Series at Apple, ’60 Minutes’ Will Run Trump Interview Sunday, Despite President’s Release of Footage, 'Never Have I Ever' Season 2 to Start Production in November (EXCLUSIVE), Twitter Disputes Claim That Donald Trump’s Account Hacked by Researcher Who Guessed His ‘maga2020!’ Password, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Movie Lands Simon Kinberg as Writer, Producer, ‘Addams Family’ TV Reboot in the Works From Tim Burton, Horror Icons Jamie Lee Curtis and Neve Campbell Compare Notes on Their Reigns as Scream Queens, Tyler Perry on Producing During the Pandemic and Why He’s Weighing in on Politics, Netflix to Campaign Chadwick Boseman as Lead Actor for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, Elon Musk Sells the Gene Wilder House to Wilder’s Nephew, Watch BTS ‘Propose’ to Fans in New Samsung Holiday Teaser.