A feeling of menacing and damnation builds up in the narration from the first frame itself. Here's a splendidly gutsy movie exploring the underbelly of Mumbai through the lives of two slum kids who grow up in equal circumstances, but with somewhat dissimilar values.

First-time director Faruk Kabir displays unexpected skill in creating a pastiche of mammoth crime and little punishment. The pace leaves meager space for grace. And yet ‘Allah Ke Banday' creates a world filled with acute violence, cruelty and damnation with a rational amount of laciness to the edgy narrative.

The world that Faruk Kabir's characters inhabit is reminiscent of Danny Boyle's ‘Slumdog Millionaire', Irrfan Kamal's underrated ‘Thanks, Maa', Mahesh Manjrekar's ‘City Of Gold ' and Chandan Arora's ‘Striker'. Deriving its lingering study of juvenile crime from these sources ‘Allah Ke Banday' moves forward and acquires a life of its own.

The spellbinding narrative takes us through the world of petty crime and underage lawlessness non-judgmentally. Faruk Kabir's deeply-felt concern for children who dodder perilously on the edge of society is never overdone. The director creates a world of uncertainties with stanch confidence.

The nervous anxiety of the characters is rather appropriately replicated in the film's rough and unembellished look. Kabir's cameraman Vishal Sinha goes through the rugged merciless slums searching for only Allah-knows what. The actors wear their unwashed demeanor casually, so much so that at times we forget the existence of the camera. At the same time, there are rough sections in the story that mar what could otherwise have been a standout exposition on the genesis of social outcasts.

Sharman Joshi and Faruk Kabir play the two driving forces of the plot with a deep understanding of their characters and the surroundings. Both seem to have got right their characters' physicality and then proceed to explore their inner worlds. For a first-time actor and director, Faruk Kabir handles both his jobs with more than a reasonable amount of convincing confidence.

The others in the cast merge into the ruthless milieu. As usual, the extremely brilliant Naseeruddin Shah is under-used. Whenever he shows up on screen, an extra dimension is naturally added to the proceedings.

The lives on the streets never looked more dangerous and less glamorous. This time, crime is not glorified. Thank god for small mercies.

Overall, it is an average film.