I have a serious reservation against the terms 'parallel cinema' or 'art movies'. These terms are used to confine some dazzling cinematic experiences to selected audience. Why do people go to watch movies? For romance? For great music? For action? For sex? For humor? Would you go to watch a movie that has all the four things in it? Probably not. You will call it an 'art movie' because it does not have a Khan or a Kapoor or a Kumar in it. Instead it has Manoj Bajpai in his finest performance ever. Yes, even better than Satya and that's a lofty claim.

'Gangs of Wasseypur' (GoWp) is a shut-up call to the word 'parallel cinema'. This is a pure commercial film with everything a marketable film has. Its romance does not have huge silk curtains flying in the background coupled with violins. Its romance means the girl asking the guy to seek permission before holding her hand while sitting in front of a dirty lake. No, its action does not have shots of the hero jumping from Burj Khalifa or fancy car chases. It has gory action where fingers are chopped off and swords and daggers define weaponry. It's sexy but not in a bikini and beach way but for the rawness of a man's lust and woman's quest for security in his lust.

Its music is fabulously done by the unique Sneha Khanwalkar (Love, Sex Aur Dhoka & Oye Lucky Lucky Oye) but it does not have lip synching choreographed with hundreds of kids dancing along with the lead couple. Instead it has songs like "Keh Ke Loon Ga" (I'll tell you first and then screw you) playing in the background when the protagonist, if he can be called that, goes after the antagonist.

In fact, background music is the strength of GoWP jointly shared by Sneha and the brilliant Piyush Mishra. Both for performance and music, Mishra has started just where he left from in Gulal. How fitting is a song like 'Ik Bagal Mein' that expresses the feeling of one happiness coming with one sorrow in the background of scenes like a man uncertain of celebrating the birth of his son when his wife dies during childbirth.

GoWP is not epitome of story writing. The basic premise of 'if a Hindu wants to rule, he gets two Muslims to fight with each other' is subtle yet bold enough to raise eye brows. The story is a simple 'Karma is a bitch' saga where a son challenges the political powerhouse to avenge his father's killing. It sounds like a run of the mill 80s revenge story or even The Godfather. Rest assured, that its not. It also kills the rumors that it's an inspiration from the Brazilian film "City of God" because its not that either. The only similarity between GoWP and City of God is the power struggle between two gangs. The milieu and the events are totally different from each other.

It's the treatment and pragmatism that makes this film special. There can be a lot of criticism on making it an expletives ridden violent heavy 160 minutes, but the fact remains that expletives are as much a part of our lives as breathing is. You cannot expect goons of Bihar to talk to each other like cultured Lucknow literary geniuses.

GoWP has perfect casting. Every single character has come out with individual brilliance no matter how trivial his or her role is. It's impossible to pick out someone who did not do well. The only differentiating factor between the actors is the length of their screen presence be it Jaideep Ahlawat as Shahid Khan or Jameel Khan as Asgar Khan or Reema Sen as Durga. Richa Chadda as Manoj Bajpai's wife is a surprise show stealer. Another surprise package is Pankaj Tripathy who gets the biggest role of his career and grabs it with both hands. The talented story teller Tigmanshu Dhulia (Haasil, Shagird and Sahed Biwi Aur Gangster) puts down his pen and comes in front of the camera for one of the strongest performances in the film. His anger management and cunningness is remarkable. Piyush Mishra, the name is enough. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Huma Qureshi are perfect in their roles and will get more exposure when the sequel revolves around them.

The film, however, belongs to Manjo Bajpani. From Bhikku Mahatre to Sardar Khan, take a bow. He is hungry, he is horny and he is humorous. He is everything you don't want your enemy to be but he is scared of his wife and admits that in front of his son. He doesn't remember his father but he remembers the revenge. He is a mercenary with an objective of his own. Jiya ho bihar ke lala.

This is Anurag Kashyap's finest work to date. He has overcome the criticism of using intricate metaphors (Gulaal) and unfathomable links (No Smoking) or making films ahead of their time (Dev D). He has kept the narration simple to make sure no one leaves the theater in confusion. The killing scene of Shahid Khan reminds you of Bhikku Mahatre's death in Satya. A powerful man can go down in a jiffy. It was Kashyap's dream project and his passion shows in the entire film.

It's important for the economics to work in favor of films like GoWP which was not a case for 'Gulal' and 'That girl In Yellow Boots'. With satellite rights apparently fetching half of the film's cost and a decent theatrical start in India, looks like Kashyap has finally covered that bit which will also help the sequel of this film.

GoWP is a proper adult audience movie. There are people who will not like it. Those are the people who will not go to watch it. Whoever does, will have a hell of a ride and will go for the sequel as well.