When Outlook and Times Now gave two stars to Eklavya, I knew this was going to be a great movie. Somehow critics like to write against well-made movies.
So I approach the movie with an open mind. Right from the first frame, Eklavya promises to be an intense movie. The story of Mahabharat’s Eklavya in Mr Bachchan’s baritone voice sets the foundation of what is to follow – a movie which does not have to shout to make its presence felt. "It did pain, there was a lot of blood, " and you know this is going to be one unusal experience.
Before you settle down, an aged king squeezes the neck of his queen while his daughter watches, and you are sitting at the edge of your chair.
As it unfolds its tale of palace intrigue you are impressed with immense care with which it has been shot. There are breath-taking shots of Rajasthan. The story is tightly told without the unnecessary baggage of Hindi films: romance and songs. The central character of Eklavya is played by Mr Bachchan and his intensity is unmatched. This is a sensitively told tale with many an unexpected twist. Each frame is carefully thought, and is a work of art.
Mr Vidhu Vinod Chopra keeps a tight control over the story as he also gives us glimpses of his skill. The screenplay takes off from Shakespeare and the plot does not disappoint. Then of course there are the artistic shots – camels frolicking against a train as a murder scene is executed. This is a wonderful shot, no doubt, very carefully shot by Mr Chopra. One wishes it wouldn’t be so often played in TV promos so as to lose its novelty.
Eklavya capitalizes on Mr Bachchan’s immense talent. He plays a rather unusual role, as the guard of the scheming king somewhere in Rajasthan. The director is able to draw out sterling performances from all the actors, from Boman Irani to Saif Ali Khan. The pace of the movie keeps it crisp: in the theatre I was, the audience did not walk about and did not let out as much as a squeak all through the movie.
Eklavya is a great movie. It may have flaws – for instance, it is not abusive and does not have needless violence – that audiences these days seem to enjoy. But Mr Vidhu Chopra has succeeded to bring us an engrossing film, a story well told. Its grandeur stays with you even after the film is over.
Watch Eklavya on the big screen – it is a great film, and damn the critics.