Guns and Gulaabs review: Quirky characters and Nineties-style drama fuel this immersive crime-comedy

Starring: Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, Gulshan Devaiah, Satish Kaushik, Pooja Gor, Shreya Dhanwantary, among others

Like most filmmakers and writers in India today, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D K too have grown up on a diet of Hindi masala movies from the late Eighties and early Nineties. Their creative influences are apparent in their work, and Guns and Gulaabs is no exception.

The duo, who created the popular web series The Family Man, has raised their own bar with Guns and Gulaabs. Pulpy and, at times, self-indulgent, it holds together parallel events playing out in the lives of the protagonists with humorous and cinematic writing.

Despite long episodes and erratic pacing in parts, Raj and DK, as they are called, manage to bring out a filmy and dramatic comedy-thriller—in their signature style—which is entertaining throughout.

Guns and Gulaabs is set in fictitious Gulaabganj, where cartels compete over the control of the poppy crop. A part of the crop is government regulated for medicinal purposes, while the rest is smuggled by drug lords who control the bigger farmers. The superintendent of police is pliant and paid off.

Jugnu aka Chotu (Adarsh Gourav) is the heir to the stronger cartel led by Bhaisaab (Satish Kaushik).

Up against their rival gang leader Nabeed in the hills, the Gulaabganj gang has struck a massive supply deal with the dangerous Sukanto (Rajatabha Dutta), a Kolkata-based drug lord, and is under huge pressure to deliver the consignment.

An honest narcotics department police officer Arjun (Dulquer Salmaan) comes to Gulaabganj to clean up the drug trade, along with his loving wife (Pooja Gor) and daughter Jyotsna.

In a twist of fate, a small-time local mechanic Tipu (Rajkummar Rao) ends up committing a crime and has to find refuge with his dead father’s old gang lord, Bhaisaab.

In the mix are Arjun’s quest to calm his conscience and a contract killer Atmaram (Gulshan Devaiah ) with near-immortal survival skills.

Then the story meanders through multiple surprises to tie up Tipu, Arjun, and Chotu’s destinies in a bloody chase for opium deals.

Tributes and nostalgic moments can be tricky with their ability to overwhelm the plot. But Guns and Gulaabs navigates this smoothly, offering dollops of homage to masala entertainers while retaining its own drama.

The first three episodes can feel slow as they set up the universe of Gulaabganj and its colourful characters at a leisurely pace. Just when one feels that a Nineties crime drama is playing out at length, the fourth episode revs up the proceedings.

This is pulp fiction packed with filmy Bollywood drama. The immersive aspect of the series grows on the viewer when each character’s background, history, and current choices mesh with one another.

Be it through the romantic moments that use the Wham! chartbuster and another popular rock ballad (no spoilers here) in the most unexpected scenarios or the subtle touches like Devaiah’s long hairdo akin to Sanjay Dutt’s from Khalnayak (1993), Raj & DK, along with co-writer Suman Kumar, have painted a vivid picture of creative influences that are fundamental to their art.

They create buddyhood among men with ease, using quirky local characters who seem to be lifted straight out of a small town in North India.

Watch out for the streetside magician and the assistant working in Tipu’s mechanic shop, Kamarcut.

Raj and DK have meticulously built the laidback but violence-soaked world of Gulaabganj, which makes everything happening here seem believable. Although most of what is shown may not pass scrutiny if one views it logically.

With colloquial characters who retain local accents, Guns and Gulaabs feels authentic and is yet quirky. Its references go beyond Bollywood, with the cult kung-fu film 36 Chambers of Shaolin (1978) and global pop hits finding place in the series.

The most remarkable character—with a constant undercurrent lurking in the background—is that of Chotu, who packs in a punch throughout the story. Gourav, as Chotu, delivers the most nuanced performance of the show.

Arjun’s character is surprising and nuanced, while Tipu plays his part to perfection as the bumbling hero who has courage and luck by his side.

Dulquer Salmaan is brilliant as Arjun—handsome and controlled. His performance features emotions such as anger and conflict, which remind viewers of the iconic roles played by Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna.

Rao delivers an outstanding performance as Tipu—clumsy and funny but blessed with street smarts and impulsive courage. The scenes with his friends, Suneel (Goutam Sharma) and a gang buddy make for the funniest moments.

Devaiah plays his part well as the enigmatic and ruthless assassin with a delicate temper.

The late Kaushik is also great, reminding one of his underutilised acting potential.

The female actors Pooja Gor and TJ Bhanu deliver efficient performances, but their characters don’t have too much evolution through the series.

Shreya Dhanwantary makes a guest appearance in an imperfect role.

The show is set in an era when cassette tapes and movies brought the world closer to the youth of small-town India, and the influence of these mediums in shaping their aspirations is used effectively.

A refreshing change is the manner in which the show tackles the women characters. While no one takes centre-stage in the plot, each female character is treated respectfully and feels genuine in the setting.

Despite the multiple tributes to the era of masala movies and mixtapes, this small-town story, unlike the movies of the past, does not let its women down. For instance, a female student triumphs over her male classmates and doesn’t bow down to bullying or shaming.

Cinematography and background score transport the viewers to a different era, before mobile phones and the internet came into existence.

Guns and Gulaabs is entertaining and immersive. And it will make some viewers feel nostalgic about the simple life of a bygone era.

Rating: 4/5