Maqbool is a special extension of my five best realistically treated gangster movie series. Despite Maqbool falling in same gangster genre as Nayakan, Parinda, Satya, Vaastav, and Company, it deserves special mention being its inspired adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
According to G.R. Elliot, theme of the Macbeth is ’’Wicked intention must in the end produce wicked action unless it is not merely revoked by the protagonist’s better feelings, but entirely eradicated by his inmost will, aided by divine grace.’’
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool (2003) is adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth in contemporary Bombay underworld. Macbeth itself was loosely based upon the historical account of King Macbeth of Scotland. Both Maqbool and Macbeth are morality play at the backdrop of battle for throne. Both are grim study of lust for power, danger of ambitions, betrayal of friends, and guilt of crime.
Story
Let’s take a look at key players of play. Jahangir Khan nicknamed as Abbaji (Pankaj Kapoor) is an aging yet powerful and influential Mumbai based don. Nimmi (Tabu) is young mistress of Abbaji. Miya Maqbool (Irfan Khan) is right hand man and Kaka (Piyush Mishra) is left hand man of Abbaji. Both Kaka and Maqbool faithfully worked for Abbaji for years. Abbaji’s daughter Sameera (Masumi Makhija) and Kaka’s son Guddu (Ajay Gehl) are having secret love affair and wishing to marry in future with the blessings of elder. Inspector Purohit (Naseeruddin Shah) and Inspector Pandit (Om Puri) are corrupt police officers working for Abbaji. Pandit is astrologer with Kaali Juban and everything he predicts comes true. Through the cooperation of these two corrupt policemen and connections with national politicians, Abbaji carries on crime activities - film financing, extortions, gambling with his henchmen.
Now players are set, let’s start the murderous plots of the play. One day Pandit predicts Maqbool will soon take over film finance department (currently held by Abbaji’s brother-in-law) and will take over Abbaji’s place within six months. In short time, Pandit’s first forecast becomes true when Abbaji asked Maqbool to look after film finance activities once he killed his brother-in-law. Knowing Pandit’s first forecast becoming true, Maqbool secretly begins to harbour ambitions of having reigns of underworld from Abbaji.
In the mean time, Nimmi shows lust for Maqbool but in reality she was tired of labeled as mistress. She hates her situation where Abbaji can replace her with more beautiful woman from film industry anytime. She decides to use Maqbool to get rid of Abbaji. She understands that only Maqbool can give her the social respect that comes with marriage. She attracts Maqbool with her beauty and Maqbool responds her positively. Nimmi instigates Maqbool to kill Abbaji and take over the throne of underworld.
Driven by his ambition for power, in Abbaji’s daughter’s engagement party, Maqbool kills Abbaji and declares himself the leader of underworld. Everyone including Kaka and Abbaji’s daughter suspicious of Nimmi and Maqbool as Abbaji’s murderer but couldn’t dare to go against them fearing for their lives. After seeing Kaka and his son as threats, Maqbool get rids of Kaka and tries to become sole ruler of underworld.
Once Maqbool gains power, both he and Nimmi start hallucinating and feeling guilt for Abbaji’s murder. Soon circumstances around Maqbool gets out of control and he find himself surrounded by all sides - Abbaji’s empire starts crumbling around him, trusted gang members are drifting apart, government and police strangles Maqbool’s position until both Maqbool and Nimmi meets their ugly death.
Analysis
Maqbool is eternal bleak tragedy of Macbeth set in the modern Mumbai underworld. Just imagine medieval Scottish highlands as present-day Mumbai streets. King Duncan is dreaded kingpin of underworld Abbaji, Macbeth is Maqbool, Lady Macbeth is Abbaji’s mistress, fortune telling policemen are the witches, and ocean plays the role of Great Birnam woods.
If Vishal Bhardwaj, the writer’s inspired adaptation of Macbeth is remarkable then it’s Vishal Bhardwaj, the director takes real credit for this exceptionally dark underworld tale. His apt handling of complex subject and innovative use of lights and camera is praiseworthy. Vishal’s direction is masterly aided by his own power-packed Urdu dialogues, Abbas Tyrewala’s brilliant screenplay, and Hemant Chaturvedi’s innovative cinematography. Only downside of this excellent piece of cinema is mediocre Music except ’Jhin Min Jhini’ from Vishal himself but he has redeemed himself with brilliantly orchestrated haunting background score.
Abbas Tyrewala’s captivating screenplay and gripping storyline is treat for moviegoers. Many of the scenes will remain with you for a long time. Some of my favorite sequences are - Inspector Purohit and Pandit’s conversations and forecasts, Maqbool takes over film finance section, Maqbool discloses Sameera and Guddu’s affair and subsequent fight between Kaka and Guddu, Nimmi’s taunting and seduction sequences, Murder of Abbaji, Kaka’s murder, Nimmi’s breakdown with Maqbool after heavy dose of guilt, and climax sequences.
Maqbool is blessed with intense performances from principle cast. Pankaj Kappor as short, potbellied Abbaji is one of the best roles of his career. He is outstanding as aging mafia with unique body language (walking style, dancing style, mannerism, facial expressions) and impressive Godfather fame Marlin Brando style voice modulation.
Maqbool is fine platform for Irfan khan and Tabu to showcase their acting talent as tortured lives and multi-faceted personalities of Shakespeare’s play. Tabu proves once again that she is beauty with brain and possesses rare combination of glamour with versatility in acting. Tabu as Nimmi is femme fatale, wicked, and manipulative woman with innocent face. She is simply outstanding in flirtatious scenes with Maqbool, seductive vamp as she seduces Maqbool to kill Abbaji, and guilt-ridden insane woman from the crimes she has committed in later part of the movie. The way she delivers taunts to Maqbool to get rid of Abbaji is simply amazing. Irfan Khan is extraordinary as Abbaji’s trusted and loyal yet vulnerable lieutenant who falls in greed of power and trap of Abbaji’s mistress and later goes through anguish of things falling apart. Maqbool is torn between his inner conflict where he has to make decision of choosing between loyalty and deceit.
Naseeruddin Shah as smooth-talker and Om Puri as fortuneteller cops are extraordinary. They are everywhere at all times and meddling in all activities like Macbeth’s witches. They both share amazing screen chemistry together and shows us why they are best performing talents of Indian cinema. The way Om Puri uses kababs, rainwater, sand, or any tangible items available on streets of Mumbai for planetary chart is humorous.
Conclusion
Throughout the history of cinema, there are many adaptations of Macbeth and most of them are set in medieval Europe. There are rare numbers of movies are adapted into different culture and society outside of European culture. Among them most famous is Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood set in medieval samurai era Japan and another one is Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool set in the backdrop of a violent gangwar in present day Mumbai underworld. Maqbool is excellent piece of modern Indian cinema and cinematic achievement for Indian film industry. It’s a class act.