For few reasons I just love Hindi & Urdu, because no matter how hard you try the same expression cannot be repeated in English! And putting it in a straightforward way, I am Glad that this is such.
In preliminaries when I saw “Matru ki Bijli Ka Mandola” and tried to search a Category for that, the only word which was appropriate was “Vyang”. And though Satire and Spoof (very much slang for me) might fit in the same category. But “Vyang” conveys a lot more to me.“Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola” reminds of vyang written by Bhagwati Charan Verma, it reminds of the best political saga I have read till date “Sabhi Nachawat Ram Gosain”; it reminds me of the sarcasm which dripped from Chitralekha’s eyes when she looks at the Yogi with raised eyebrows and Trashes his definition of Sin. The Strong Satire which ridicules the Political, Societal and Dysfunctional System
For preliminaries I knew if it was being trashed by Facebook Updates, it had to be Brilliant enough to be never empathized by “Chetan Bhagat Genre”. That they would never see beyond the Bijlee emerging from water and having visible tattoos, bra straps, et all( to the point that somebody actually had a gall to update “shes doing the same which she was doing in jab tak hai jaan”). That here is a multi-layered character of a Girl bought up by an alcoholic father, and living in the Dark cobwebs of her soul.The routes she takes as an escapist!
Mandola struggling between a Conscience and a Dream. Dependent on Alcohol as his Prime and Matru and his second Solace. The Brilliance of the movie is conveyed when the Male leads share a Strong On-screen chemistry. Matru Portraying a character neatly balancing between Loyalty and Righteousness as he silently Nurtures a Strong Care and Affection for Bijlee.
Hallucinating “Gulaabo”, “Meena Kumari Syndrome”, and sarcasm dipped metaphors breathe life into the Movie.
The only time Movie slips a bit is when the Satire moves towards the “Mao” issue. For a Naxalite/Maoist movement it is a risky bit to go beyond what was shown, but I would still have preferred a better one on that.
On and on Matru ki Bijli Ka Mandola is a Risk in itself! For one an Indian audience which only understands Shallow Humor or stays in the Shadows of Maqbool/Omkara will never empathise with this movie! For me it’s a Commendable Stroke of Vishal Bhardwaj, and as I focus on the main issues I equally get Nostalgic about Karaoke Times with “Oh Boy Charlie”.
Gulzar with his Original statutory warning, I reminisce a more appropriate one after watching this movie
Har saal jab aam utaarate hain, sochate hain kuchh ped neem ke bhi lagaa lene chaahiye. Hawaa saaf rakhenge. Lekin neem ki nimboliyaan to bikti naheen, aam bik jaate hain. 63 saal ho gaye aam utaarate.
Neem abhi tak boye naheen!