Corporate is the second of a trilogy that Madhur Bhandarkar began with Page 3, a take on the make-believe world of glamour and ’high society.He has the courage and conviction to swim against the tide, venture into lanes not many would dare to tread and come up with products that bear the by-now-famous stamp of an accomplished storyteller.Corporate is another giant step in the right direction.It’s unique, bold and most importantly, gives you that microscopic view of the corporate sector and is one of the most interesting stories of our times.
To cut a long story short, put your hands together for one of the most outstanding films produced in 2006.
It is the story of two corporate houses lead by Vinay Sehgal [Rajat Kapoor], Managing Director, Sehgal Group of Industries and Dharmesh Marwah [Raj Babbar], Managing Director, Marwah International Pvt. Ltd.
While there are Kay Kay Menon, Harsh Chayya, Bharat Dhabolkar, Minissha Lamba and Sameer Dattani on either side of the two business groups, there is Nishigandha [Bipasha Basu], a businesswoman with high aspirations and hunger to move to the top, who is at the center of all the action.
Both Sehgal Group of Industries and Marwah International Pvt. Ltd. try to get their hands on the best of the deals.The plot revolves around the way in which both companies use NGOs, the media and politicians to their own advantage.This is where things start to look up!
As a viewer, you may have preconceived notions about such films with the end result being a bore. The film has an unusual story when compared to the commercial flicks that are being churned out at regular intervals. It also highlights the irony of a corporate society that is full of double standards.
In most cases, the film starts off well but runs out of steam as it progresses. That’s not the case with Corporate. This one starts with a bang, with the engaging moments in the first half slowly taking you to an environment you can identify with.
But it’s the post-interval portions and the twists in the story that give the film that extra sheen. The Bipasha-K.K sequence is amongst the brilliant sequences witnessed in a long, long time.
One is extremely inquisitive about the finale, but the conclusion to the story doesn’t let you down one bit.Any flaws? Or is Corporate a flawless film? One minor blemish. Ideally, Corporate should’ve been a songless film and especially the item song seems as unwanted as an unwelcome visitor meeting you unannounced.
Director Madhur Bhandarkar deserves distinction marks for handling the subject in the most convincing fashion .His style of storytelling is refreshingly different and most importantly, here’s a director who concentrates more on substance than style .
Cinematography is first-rate. The film captures the authentic look to precision. The background score is another area that deserves the kudos.
Performance wise, Bipasha Basu is first-rate.She carries the film on her firm shoulders. K.K is just perfect .The ease with which he handles the complex scenes proves that here’s an actor with an infinite range. Rajat is effective. Minissha Lamba makes her presence felt.. Raj Babbar is alright. Sameer Dattani is good.
All up Corporate is a brilliant effort that has the potential to grow with a strong word of mouth .A must see