I must confess right in the beginning that I am not the typical bollywood fan. This is not to say that I refrain from watching bollywood films. You may say that I am very choosy about what I watch. Till a couple of years ago, bollywood had been plagued by what I call the ’’Me Too’’ syndrome. Very few originals, too many followers. It is heartening, though, to see that film makers are deviating from the beaten track and are taking up new themes as their subject.
Commenting on the general theme of Maqbool’s story would mean reviewing Shakespeare himself. I don’t think I can afford to do that. What is commendable, however, is the interpretation of Macbeth in the socio-political context of today, and making it every bit relevant. I think in this respect the script and screenplay of Maqbool has done full justice to the great playwrite.
But what has inspired me to review this movie is Vishal Bhardwaj’s excellence as a movie maker. In a movie, a story is only as good as the depth and quality of its treatment by the director. So beautiful is this treatment that throughout the movie I never realized that I was watching a movie - I felt profoundly involved with every scene. Vishal’s conception of certain characters (such as Pandit and Purohit, played by the perfect Om Puri and Naseer), certain sequences, the elements of drama and thrill, all go to show that he is a movie maker of the first order. So impressed I am with him that I am willing to compare him with the likes of Shekhar Kapoor, Aparna Sen and Meera Nair. And to think that this was just his second movie!
While I would not like to reveal anything about the plot, I do wish to mention certain sequences which one just cannot afford to miss. The opening scene is very well conceived, dialogues are extremely natural and witty (blood all over Mumbai, for instance). The Dargah sequence is well created with the sufi style song, and the emotional interplay between the lead characters. The entire sequence where the truth about Abbaji’s daughter’s relationship with one of his most trusted aid’s son is revealed is excellent. I could go on and on.
To say that the acting is superb will be an understatement. It was a pleasure watching Om, Naseer, Pankaj Kapoor and Irfan in roles that do full justice to their repertoire of skills. Tabu was good. I think she is one of the finest actresses we have. The music is good too.
How often has it happened that you have watched a movie in a theatre and come out feeling a little dazed, as if you are not physically present in this world but are still in the world of the characters whom you just saw? How often have you tried to ask what it was that was singly responsible for the success of a movie? How often have you concluded that it was a bit, and a lot more, of everything - the story, the music, the hero, the villain, the small character who utters a few words in scene and disappears? That is the magic of cinema. And Vishal has spun this magic exceptionally well.