Anurag Basu directed the 2006 Hindi-language romantic thriller Gangster. Emraan Hashmi, Shiney Ahuja, as well as Kangana Ranaut feature in it. Pritam created the soundtrack. The movie was supposedly based upon the lives of gangster Abu Salem and beautiful actress Monica Bedi, although filmmaker Basu has rejected any resemblance to real-life characters or events. Kangana Ranaut made her theatrical debut in this film, which was released on April 28, 2006. Ranaut’s acting in movies earned significant critical praise garnering her numerous honours notably the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut at the 52nd Filmfare Awards.
The critical response to the film was overwhelmingly positive. The film received a 3.5/5 rating from critics, who praised the lead actors’ performances, as well as the music and screenplay. Raja Sen of Rediff.com wrote that “Kangana is a fantastic find, the actress coming through with amazing conviction. Hers is the central character, and it’s a difficult role to play, but she pulls it off admirably. Kangana’s nuances are disconcertingly realistic. Emraan Hashmi also got positive reviews for his portrayal of an undercover detective. Raja Sen added, “His character is an understated one, and he manages to keep it that way.
The Soundtrack
Pritam created the album’s music. Five original tunes and four remixes made up the entire CD. Saregama brought the copyrights of the Movie. The melody “Bheegi Bheegi” is a contemporary remake of Moheener Ghoraguli’s “Prithibi ta naki.” “Ya Ali” was supposed to be performed by singer Kailash Kher, but he had to leave on an international tour. The Arabic song “Ya Ghali” by the Kuwaiti band Guitara is the inspiration for “Ya Ali.”
The album was extremely successful, with tracks notably “Ya Ali,” “Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai,” and “Bheegi Bheegi” breaking records and being dubbed “chartbusters” less than a week after their release. Gangster was the sixth best-selling album in India in 2006, with 16,00,000 unit sales. Planet Bollywood’s Aakash Gandhi gave the album a 7.5/10 rating and wrote, “Overall, I believe Gangster is a foregone conclusion. It appeals to a broad audience, offers a diverse selection of tracks to taste, and showcases some new vocalists.”
Also Read: What are the most popular movies of Bollywood actor Kunal Kemmu?
