Ramgopal Varma is a rare director whose has created a niche in directing technically brilliant films. Like his earlier movies, this time with 'Jungle', he is bang on target to the audience expectations of him. Bollywood Directors are known by the typical kind of stuff they make and audience do go to movies seeing the Director's name. Mani Ratnam is one typical director whose movies are much awaited .Same is the case with Ramgopal Varma who has changed the style of filmmaking right from his first movie "Shiva". Who can ever forget his "Satya" which was made with an unknown actor like Chakrovarthy & Manoj Bajpai and went on to win the hearts of Mumbaites. This time also he has roped in a lesser known actor Fardeen Khan,Feroz Khan's son ,and with his trade mark heroine Urmila ,Verma is surely on a winning track with Jungle - an out and out unconventional movie.

Slightly based on sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, the movie is set in the jungle where Durga chowdhry(Sushant), a ruthless killer with his gang, is on the prowl. And when the forest task force commander Swaraj (Sunil Shetty) with his men goes on a daredevil mission to capture one of Durga's men, Disu, the ruthless gang leader goes all out. His men kidnap a group of tourists who are out on a tour and threaten to kill the hostages till the commandos release his man. 

Among the tourists are Anu (Urmila Matondkar) and her parents. Terror strikes when Durga actually starts his merciless killing spree, and Swaraj is forced to release Disu. . While Durga agrees to release the other hostages, he refuses to let go Anu as he gets attacted to her much to the surprise of his gang members. The police have thrown up their hands and openly admitted that there is nothing they can do. Anu's secret lover Siddhu (Fardeen Khan), who is also a member of the touring party then gets on to the act of rescuing Anu from the clutches of Durga.

The virgin forests of Karnataka have been marvelously captured by the camera and truly the nature comes alive in this movie.

Sushant as Durga is the highlight of the movie. His eyes says it all.  Fardeen "Prem Aggan" Khan is cute and with Jungle he is sure to consolidate what he had missed out in his debut film "Prem Aggan". He for sure has to improve on his performance if he has to stay long .Urmila Matondkar is the same as in every other movie of Ramgopal Varma. She does give top performance when Verma is around(??) Kashmira Shah springs a pleasant surprise. Sandeep Chowta's music is pleasant and each song comes at the right situation. The Cinematography is excellent.

Ramgopal Varma fans can look forward for a treat.

-MK

Reachout's rating ****