Ki junoon? .. khuda jaane ...
Maqbool directed by Vishal Bharadwaj is a refreshing change to so-called cliched Hindi cinema.
Inspired by Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Maqbool tells the tale of an underworld don and the people in his life.
Irrespective of the setting of the story, the film narrates the fact that in life sometimes passion takes over everything else. And because of societal constraints - one can’t even live with the consequences of actions taken which are not thought-over.
There are six principal characters in the film and the story revolves around them. Pankaj Kapur plays the don - whose right hand man is Irrfan and Tabu is his keep. Masumi plays his daughter who is in love with Ajay and Ajay’s father is another of Pankaj’s loyal men.
All hell breaks loose in the mind of Irrfan when he falls in love with Tabu and knows that there is no way he can have her. His loyality for Abbaji (Pankaj) prevents him from listening to his heart.
But Tabu has no such factor binding her from expressing her love or rather lust towards Irrfan.
The first half of the film is dominated by the brilliant performance of Pankaj Kapur while the rest of the characters in the film underplay their parts.
It is only in the second half that Irrfan’s character shows a range of shades and not to mention that he performs all the intense scenes with gripping intensity that engrosses the viewer to the T.
Tabu too leaves you speechless with her performance of a woman who doesnt’ really know what she wants in life. She craves for something probably just because it is tabboo and then can’t live with herself because of the unfair means of achieving what she wanted.
Shakespeare’s Macbeth needless to say is a masterpiece but Vishal’s interpretation of the same is not less than a masterpiece in itself. Perfectly woven with songs and amazing performances or rather a perfect choice of actors including Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri in cameo roles - Vishal has put many a filmmakers to shame.
Interestingly Pankaj Kapur’s role was earlier offered to Naseeruddin Shah but he opted out and preferred to do the cameo and suggested to Vishal that he should go with his choice of Pankaj for the role.
If anything the camerawork in the film falls a little short or rather is a little discrepant. Certain scenes are however shot exceptionally brilliantly.
For people who love cinema this is more than a must watch.