The new order arriveth..and how!! It?s been a while since it was this easy to attach superlatives to a Hindi movie. No mean task, as my brother says, but here is a film that invites praise of the highest order. And no, it is not because it boasts of some of the finest actors in the country, and no, it isn’t even because it is a commendable adaptation of the original Bard’s immortal play.
No, this is a film that impresses with its deft handling of subject matter, borrowed plot notwithstanding. Adapted to the murky world of the Mumbai ganglands, and directed with remarkable elegance, this is one film that will go the distance in terms of audience recall.
There is nothing about the plot that would threaten to boggle the mind. Underworld don Sikander ’Abbaji’ Khan rules his part of the city with an iron hand. He has the support of his henchmen, his community, the politician and the police. His most trusted lieutenant is Maqbool, a faithful servant with just that bit of ambition to make him a potential Brutus. He also has an eye for his master’s beautiful mistress, Nimmi.
The damsel reciprocates and convinces the young pretender to take his master’s place. So the crime is plotted, and executed. Abbaji is murdered at Maqbool’s home, in the midst of the wedding festivities for Abbaji’s daughter. The story takes a sinister turn with factions of the gang rising up in revolt. Maqbool and Nimmi have to contend with all kinds of demons, internal and otherwise, as they struggle to live the life that they murdered for.
So what’s so good about the film? Well, almost everything. Performances are, almost by default, excellent. Everyone - from the seasoned Naseer and Om, the traditional flag-bearers of the Indian film industry, right down to the young Ajay Gehi, playing the role of the young Guddu, once Abbaji’s son-in-law to be, now Maqbool’s deadliest foe - has done a capable job. The narrative is compelling, keeps you riveted to the unfolding of this tragic tale of human frailties.
Cinematography also gets high ratings; simple yet effective, completely attuned to the various moods depicted in the film. Note the easy assurance with which Hemant Chaturvedi moves between scenes of romance to those of guilt-wracked gloom with equal comfort. The music complements the script, and does not jar with the theme of the film.
The star of the show however, is the director. Having won acclaim with the fantasy tale ’’makdee’’, he’s come to earthier turf with this effort. Which brings me to the first sentence of this review. Bharadwaj has crafted the tale with intimate care, capturing the true essence of Shakespeare’s play, retaining his individual style without making too much of a social statement. His handling of the accomplished actor ensemble is deft, and ensures that not too much of the limelight is hogged by any one character.
Almost every character is given its due, and it is fascinating to see the kind of color each brings to the story. Some of the best scenes in the movie involve Kakaji, another of Abbaji’s faithfuls, and the father of the rebellious Guddu. Maqbool’s effort to reconcile with Kakaji generates tremendous fire and tension, and is one of the highlights of the movie. There are several such scenes though, including a chiller where Maqbool thinks he sees spilt blood at the abattoir just before he commits the murder. Done with the least amount of fuss and noise, it still manages to run ice down the spine.
All of this shouldn’t overshadow the fact that there are some great performances in ths film. Naseer and Om as the sooth-saying, crooked-as-they-come cop duo, Pandit and Purohit; Piyush Mishra as Kakaji, Tabu as Nimmi, and an excellent Irrfan as the troubled Maqbool. This man is now an acknowledged front man in the Indian film world, all set to join the international credit list after performances in Haasil and Warrior.
The most heartening thing about this film though is the resurgence of Pankaj Kapoor. As Abbaji, there is not much you can fault with his performance, except for his tendency to contort his facial and speaking mannerisms to match Marlon Brando in his Godfather avatar. Everything else is pure gold. Despite the relatively short on-screen time, Kapoor enacts the powerful don, in all the different shades, with great aplomb. One hopes to see much more of him in the future than one has of late.
Any thumb-downs? Well, I guess there are some, like maybe the burden of guilt as depicted by the protagonists could have been more pronounced. And I did feel the ’’aag aur pani’’ dialogue was overdone a bit...in the end it seemed like the cops were in a competition to see who would say those 2 lines first.
But these are minor flaws. The big picture is clear and untainted. One of the few movies that exudes class and style, without being pretentious. And one that brings yet another young director into the limelight-with all the expectations that come with it. All the best, Mr Bharadwaj!!