I, for one, watch movies for entertainment. I mean, we see, read and hear lots and lots of news in the media daily about riots, corrupt politicians, communal clashes and hatred, the police-politico-underworld nexus and all that stuff. Why then waste three hours and 50 bucks for watching the same thing again? I would rather see some light hearted stuff. I am not the intellectual type, and didnt realize that this was not a mainstream movie. Anyway, I didnt like it. But let me do a honest review, From my point of view
CAST AND CHARACTERS
Amitabh Bachchan as Dev Pratap Singh is Joint commissioner of Police. The whole movie revolves round him, and he has delivered a superb performance. Dev is upright, follows his conscience and does not have such a radical outlook.
Om Puri as Tejinder Khosla is also Joint commissioner on special duty. He and Dev are close friends. Tej supports the wiping out of all the extremists and has an eye on power and is a not-so-honest officer.
Fardeen Khan as Farhaan Ali is a law graduate and angry young man, jumps into a radical outfit to seek vengeance on the way how his community is treated. But after Lateef tries to get him killed, his eyes are opened and turns to Dev for help.
Kareena Kapoor as Aaliya Altaf is Farhaan’s sweetheart. She does not have a big part in the movie, and is mainly a prop, for the riots and the smooching scenes.
Ehsaan Khan as Lateef is a corrupt politician from the muslim community. He orchestrates the riots for his own petty gains. Khan really irritated me. He guy has unmoving eyes, with all the expressions of a zombie, and walks around like a robot.
Milind Gunaji as Mangal Rao is the Hindu counterpart of Lateef. He is has not got much to say, which is good, as I was fed up with Lateefs stupid speeches.
THE PLOT
The movie is loosely based on the Gujarat riots, about corrupt police officials and politicians who make communities clash against each other, for their own gains. About majority and minority politics, about communal clashes, about fundamentalism and communalism and angry young men, and clash of ideologies.
There is no story. Govind Nihalani had some ideas in his mind, and the clash of ideologies of two men is the foremost of them. Dev and Tej are friends but differ on views. Tej is more radical. Lateef urges his followers with his speeches to go for the throats of others, and when the bomb he plants to kill Farhaan explodes near a temple, the supporters of Mangal Rao go on rampage on the muslims, and the riots begin.
Tej, on orders of the scheming CM, restrains Dev from taking action on the rioters, but Dev follows his conscience and shoots at the rioters, and succeeds in ending the riots. The ideological clashes between Dev and Tej take a new turn from there on. The love story between Farhaan and Aaliya are not of much importance in the movie. Only in the end, when Farhaan turns Dev’s Protege, does he have something to do besides running around and screwing up his face in rage.
WHAT I FELT
As I said at the beginning, I dont want to spend money on stuff I can get to know much cheaper everyday. But the movie hasnt got the finesse of an art film either. I dont mind parallel cinema, but it has to be classy. Some details:
Dev and Tej have all those concourses about their views that make the movie feel like an extended Group Discussion. Which I found not only difficult to digest, but also very boring.
Amitabh looks visibly uncomfortable in his ill-fitting uniform, and wears his now trademark French beard (Police officers are not supposed to wear beards?)
The riot scenes are finely picturised, but the director fails to deliver the message. The scenes are too narrow, and miss details.
If Nihalaniji wanted to wrench our hearts with the rape scenes and the scene where Farhaan runs with an unconscious Aaliya on a hand cart, he is far from succeeding. But one does feel sorry for Aaliyas bubbly friend, (dont remember her name) who gets raped and killed.
The riot scenes seem to be inspired by Bombay, but only Maniratnam can be Maniratnam.
The smooch scenes between farhaan and Aaliya were not much necessary, and lacked finish.
The film drags on and on towards the end. What was the reason for this? As usual, the director couldnt get his message across and stretched his movie desperately.
Quick jump cuts, close ups, sound of shuffling papers and feet etc try to improve the ambience of the movie, but succeed only in ruining it.
CONCLUSION
I am not saying this is a bad film. Whether you like it or not, it depends upon your outlook. And I dont think it was made for the masses. but it should be advertised as parallel cinema, so that more people wont get cheated. The performance of all Amitji and Om puri are excellent, and is the saving grace of the film. Also, overall, it appears to be nice, but quality niggles are present throughout the film.
There is no mush, no songs, no colors, nothing, so if you are an KKHH-MHN-DCH-Hum tum type, you will not like the film. If you are the intellectual type, thinker and all, go for it. For the middle type (types like me -- maniratnam types) the movie is recommendable, but only barely.
The director has tried to bring out the nexus between the police, politicians communal leaders etc. But then, so have other directors. and the media. and others. So what is new? I like to give my brain a rest somtimes, and I do so by watching hindi Cinema.
Cheers n TakeCare!
Vinod