"GurU" , the much anticipated movie by Mani Ratnam is out. Each and every person who loves Bollywood has been waiting for its release for long.After hearing its music when the music was launched way earlier I was impatiently waiting to get a peek of it.And today I finally went out and watched it. And tell you what it is what I had been expecting and much more than that!! And what other great city to watch the movie. Yes I watched the film in Mani Ratnam’s own land, Chennai.Chennai, where even the mention of names of stalwarts like Mani Sir, ARR are cheered by public when their name appears on screen. Even Maddy gets lot of cheers here!!!!
*Plot:-
This is a story of a middle class Indian from Gujrat called Gurukant Desai(Abhishek Bacchhan) who has a dream , to become rich and to establish his own company.It is set in between late 1950’s-80’s. The story starts in flashback being narrated by Guru himself.
Guru who is the second son of a school master in an obscure village in Gujrat is not very great in studies.In fact he fails in his exams but at the same time decides to start earning by getting a job in Turkey.And so after much reluctance from his father but help from his mother and elder brother he sets out to Turkey where his relative uncle is there to take care of him and secure him a job in an oil company to sell oil cans.
He grows there by working hard and learning fast.This transition is shown in a couple of minutes in the movie. And there he is Guru full grown as a man in form of Abhishek Bacchhan.After working hard for 7 years he decides to quit Turkey and start his own "Bijness"(in his terms) skipping the promotion and salary raise he was about to get in his old job.
He returns to his village with a grit and determination to succeed and on the train to his village he comes across a runaway lover girl Sujata( Aishwarya Rai) . She has been planning to run from her house with her lover boy who fails to turn up at the ralway station being a coward.
And in course of events he ends up marrying her for want of seed money, which he is expecting as a dowry from her father, to start his own business of cloth trading .And then he sets out to Mumbai to start his own business with his wife and brother -in- law as aide.
But Mumbai has its own way of life and rules.And things aren’t rosy for him to start his own business being thwarted by the existing traders and the market chairman who is reluctant to give him a license for trading. But using his intelligence and grit he manages to make a space for himself with a lot aid from Nanaji( Mithun Chakraborty as Manickdas Gupta in the film) who runs a newspaper called ’the Independent’.Nanaji helps Guru in getting license using his newspaper. He initially likes Guru because of his anger and determination to succced in an oppressing society.
And from here on Guru rises meteorically to gain both money and power.And he is all set to realizing his dream of opening his own company called Shakti Industries, biggest company in India.But during his rise he uses all means good and bad, practices fair and unfair.
And in the process he loses favour from Nanaji who is against corruption and preacher of truth who founds that Guru is becoming selfish and following wrong ways to realize his dreams.
Guru starts neglecting all those who are jealous of him as well those who oppose him including Nanaji and later Shyam Saxena( R Madhavan), who is the chief editor of the newspaper and whose only mission becomes to destroy Guru by bringing out in open all his unfair means and calling him as a disease and epidemic for the society.
Two opposing forces dominate the latter half of the film, on one side Guru leading his industries and dreams and on the other Nanaji and Shyam creating road blocks for him by defaming him in public in every way.
A lot of hurdles come his way like political reluctance, decreasing public favour and even a paralysis grips him later.But at all odds Guru is backed by his supporter and wife Sujata who believes in him and his dreams.
And eventually at the end Guru wins the battle and realizes his dream.
*Cast:-
*Its an all and out Abhishek film. He has given his best performance till date.His acting skills are amazing.This guy makes Guru, the character , real and live.
Aishwarya is again commendable in her role as Guru’s wife and manages to match the performance of Abhishek. Although I personally din’t like Barso Re Megha song pictorization on her.
I think she dint do full justice to her beautiful and solo song. It may be because I was expecting a performance of the sort done by Madhu in Roja for Dil hai Chotasa in Roja.
Mithunda is back with a bang should I say. He does full justice to his role of Nanaji pulled up against Guru in the film. This sets to prove how he has those 3 National Award trophies.
R Madhavan , Mani Sirs Favourite Boy, is again at the right place and at the right time after his Rang De Basanti performance.
Although he doesen’t have much space in the film but he does a real good job in what has been offered to him.Apart from one sizzling scene with Vidya Balan.
Then there is Vidya Balan who plays the role of Meenu(shown handicapped by legs), For whom Nanaji is the Godfather. She is shown as a love interest of Shyam. Though her role is real small she has her share of emotions to show. And she impresses once again.
And then there is a hot item number filmed on Mallika Sherawat in Turkey.She sizzles in her own way.
*Direction:-
*Mani Ratnam, the ace director, and writer and director for this film, does magic again and casts his spell on all.He keeps no stone unturned for his much hyped film. He does full justice to Abhishek’s Role as Guru and being a hard task master has taken out a fine performance out of him.
Each and every frame you watch mesmerises you for the content and quality that he dishes you out on screen. The first half is a real treat to watch. The second half loses speed and one song Ek lo Ek Muft really drags.
But Thanks for a wonderful movie Mani Sir.
*Music:-
A R Rahman. Sirf naam hi kafi hai. But apart from his name he gives really melodious Rehmani music that takes the film to a different level altogether. No one can touch this Master when it comes to ballads.He is an absolute genius and proves it once again through songs like Aye Hairathey and Tere Bina. His background score is marvellous.
*My take:-
This movie has a message that you should dare to dream and turn them true. Nobody can stop you from doing this.Seems somewhat similiar on lines of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
Watch GurU for the power packed performances of Abhishek and Mithunda.
Watch Guru to listen to ARR.
Watch Guru for Mani Ratnam’s direction.
And watch GurU so that you also can ’Dare to Dream’!!!