Omkara
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi, Naseeruddin Shah, Bipasha Basu
Direction: Vishal Bharadwaj
Dubai release date-26th July , 2006
I read Othello last year, and found it simply one of the most wonderful play I’ve ever read - painfully compelling, the story is so terrible and tragic that it hurts to read it, yet you just cannot put it down. You do not get more dark or tragic than Othello and Omkara captures the book superbly well, with outstanding performances by Saif, Ajay and Kareena.
Ajay Devgan plays Omkara, a don who is ruling the roost in interiors of UP , who does what he feels is right.Langda Tyagi(Saif) and Vivek are his right hands. However, for reasons that are never fully explained, Langda is not the faithful retainer Omkara believes him to be. In fact, he has put a plan into action by which he intends to cause Omkara’s downfall and shatter the relationship between the him and his devoted wife, Dolly (Kareena Kapoor).
’Omkara’ keeps the viewer’s interest while staying true to the play , othello. Although shortened and slightly modified, the action never stops .As a director Visal deserves a standing ovation. He yet again breaks the norms of Indian cinema and delivers what could be called a masterpiece in todays times.
The manner in which he directs the film is extremely entertaining yet the film does not deviate from the character and essence of Othello.The amount of precision and utmost perfection that he has taken in portraying the UP under a microscope is simply astounding.The film has the look and feel of a epic.
Actions sequences are realistic and keep the viewer at the edge of their seats. The entire train sequence is heartstopping.Vishalas music is absolutely MINDBLOWING. Each and every track in the film works as PART of the story and moves it along rather than acting as a speedbreaker.
The performances in Omkara are astounding to say the least.....each and every character has a part to play and they do so with utmost perfection and yet again VISHAL must be given credit for etching out some of the most complex characters in Bollywood...
Ajay Devgan, gives a stirring and powerful interpretation of a man haunted by uncertainty about his wife’s faithfulness. Kareena imbues Dolly with far more vitality than she has had in any other movie .I liked her especially she cries in the dying scene. Konkana’s complex and appealing character came across wonderfully.Bips was great in her small role.Saif as Langda gives a excellent performance and one of the BEST performances of 2006. His entire get-up and personality is not one that is commonly associated with his hip hop look.His looks gel perfectly with his character and his voice modulation is fantastic. His dialect is fantastic.Vivek is flawless.Naseer manages to leave his mark.
But there are some flaws as well liker , given the closeness of Omkara’s friendship with Langda, his decision to dismiss him in favour of Vivek makes little sense. Likewise, Omkara’s readiness to believe the worst of Dolly, and the ease with which langda leads him on to murder, makes the character look quite pathetic, almost simple-minded.
A must see.