Omkara, like Vishal Bharadwaj’s Maqbool is an apt adaptation of Othello.
It’s better to put it as, Shakespeare’s Othello inspired Omkara and all the actors rose to the occasion except for Kareena kapoor. Saif Ali Khan has given the performance of his lifetime in the role of Langda Tyagi and it is reflected in every scene.Though he had a tailored role, his giving it shape has been outstanding. The performances were amazing although it should not be forgotten that all the characters had very strong author-backed roles. But Desdemona, aka our very own Dolly, faded into oblivion before the acting prowess of Konkona Sen Sharma and Bipasha Basu in the nautch girl’s role.
The film had a good dose of profanity and violence but that is obvious when one deals with Uttar Pradesh politics and the goons there.
Set at the backdrop of western UP, the cinematography has been excellent. The dry area matched with the wry dialogues, so typical of the rustic UP culture.
After a gap of about two years, Vishal Bharadwaj has not has not deviated from the original storyline of Othello and unlike Devdas and Parineeta, and it is as the drama was conceived by the bard; except that the setting has been changed to a different era and in a different country and locale.
The tight script also shows that the bard’s plays are still relevant and that the human emotions are primeval. Love, jealousy, suspicion , greed, are the same in important relations and they do not change with different settings or periods.
Omkara is a great visual treat and the dialogue delivery of all the actors has been awe-inspiring. Music is so-so except for the title track of Omkara, which is simply mind blowing. Vishal Bharadwaj has done a great job with sleek editing. And finally, the film is very artistically made for the masses.