A first day show of a Hindi movie was not something I had planned in the city of Salem. While standing at the ticket counter, I remembered the grand old days when watching movies on the first day especially of RGV and Raj Kumar Santoshi was a matter of pride and a way to pay tribute to the makers of those movies.
Prakash Jha is another director who demands that kind of respect. His last few offerings-Gangajal,Apharan were very strong reasons to eagerly look forward to Raajneeti.Surprising this time was the also the fact that this was perhaps the first time when his movie had made so much news long before it hit the screens. I must confess that the hype was totally misplaced and uncalled for. His movies don’t demand unnecessary footage for the topics he chooses for his films. More so, the pre release hype talked about the things, the movie is definitely not about. So, a big disappointment for Katrina fans who had come to see her portray Sonia Gandhi on screen.
Though the titles show Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha as the Story and Screenplay writers, the credit for the original story goes undoubtedly to the revered Maharshi Ved Vyas.Very early in the movie, the characters of Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Karna, Bheema, Duryodhana, Arjun and Karna evolve in the movie very distinctly. It does take time for a viewer to recognise each character vividly in the story initially, but it gets clear as the story builds up and the blood-lines of loyalty are drawn.
Prakash Jha depicts a no-hold quest for power in the political arena in this movie. He has this trademark way of showing things in their naked form , as we found out in his older offerings be it Mrityudand,Gangajal and Apharan.A few plots may be a little too far-fetched, but the storyline does appear believable. The first half scores over the second half in the way events unfold and the pace at which they unfold. The second half promised a mouth watering plot when the fact was to be revealed to Ajay Devgan (sorry, Devgn) that he was actually the elder brother of Arjun Rampal and Ranvir Kapoor.But , the highlight turned out to be biggest disappointment of the movie. It completely lacked the passion, the punch and impact. What a waste of an opportunity which could have become a legendary scene in the modern cinema.
I am surprised at the choice of the lady who played the role of the mother of the 3 sons. No offence meant lady, but the question mark is definitely over Prakash Ji.Prakash Ji, when you could have Naseeruddin Shah for gate crashing a rally, for a wet rainy dance a short love making scene, what stopped you from having someone who could do more justice to a pivotal character role? The central story could have remained pretty much the same, had the “karna-factor” not been there too. But, having it and then blowing it is a kind of “post purchase dissonance” in marketing parlance.
Over to performances, this is something which is more or less guaranteed in a Prakash Jha film. This movie was a treat with so many stalwarts sharing the screen together making me wonder at times whom to concentrate at. Arjun Rampal as the aggressive Bheema,Manoj Bajpai as the modern day Duryodhana, Ajay Devgn as the loyal Karna ( a role to die for ),Nana Patekar as the wise Krishna .But if I were to pick one, then the vote goes unambiguously goes to Ranvir Kapoor.What a performance for a novice!! He portrays the role of the focussed Arjun very effortlessly, letting the subtlety of the role take its prominence. The gradual transformation from a Ph.D student in British Arts to a cold blooded killer was played really well. Well done young man, for reposing the faith of the Director on you and holding on to your mettle amongst so many seasoned actors.
Contrary to pre-release hype, post-release Katrina would be the last person one would talk about. The entire buzz surrounding her playing Sonia ji fell flat on its face. In fact, the only similarity begins and ends with the fact that both are widely appreciated ladies in India born off Non-Indian set of parents. Katrina does have her moment in the film at the climax where she addresses a huge rally and invokes passionately the loyalty of the supporters for her family and party.
Overall, a good watch which delivers most of what was promised. I am sure it’ll rake in good moolah too. But I left the theatre with a disturbing thought. On one hand there has been a deliberate effort by some movie makers to encourage educated, young, smart Indians to participate actively in national matters through politics, and on the other hand this movie would be strong repulsion to the state of political affairs in the country.
Prakash Jha is another director who demands that kind of respect. His last few offerings-Gangajal,Apharan were very strong reasons to eagerly look forward to Raajneeti.Surprising this time was the also the fact that this was perhaps the first time when his movie had made so much news long before it hit the screens. I must confess that the hype was totally misplaced and uncalled for. His movies don’t demand unnecessary footage for the topics he chooses for his films. More so, the pre release hype talked about the things, the movie is definitely not about. So, a big disappointment for Katrina fans who had come to see her portray Sonia Gandhi on screen.
Though the titles show Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha as the Story and Screenplay writers, the credit for the original story goes undoubtedly to the revered Maharshi Ved Vyas.Very early in the movie, the characters of Dhritarashtra, Pandu, Karna, Bheema, Duryodhana, Arjun and Karna evolve in the movie very distinctly. It does take time for a viewer to recognise each character vividly in the story initially, but it gets clear as the story builds up and the blood-lines of loyalty are drawn.
Prakash Jha depicts a no-hold quest for power in the political arena in this movie. He has this trademark way of showing things in their naked form , as we found out in his older offerings be it Mrityudand,Gangajal and Apharan.A few plots may be a little too far-fetched, but the storyline does appear believable. The first half scores over the second half in the way events unfold and the pace at which they unfold. The second half promised a mouth watering plot when the fact was to be revealed to Ajay Devgan (sorry, Devgn) that he was actually the elder brother of Arjun Rampal and Ranvir Kapoor.But , the highlight turned out to be biggest disappointment of the movie. It completely lacked the passion, the punch and impact. What a waste of an opportunity which could have become a legendary scene in the modern cinema.
I am surprised at the choice of the lady who played the role of the mother of the 3 sons. No offence meant lady, but the question mark is definitely over Prakash Ji.Prakash Ji, when you could have Naseeruddin Shah for gate crashing a rally, for a wet rainy dance a short love making scene, what stopped you from having someone who could do more justice to a pivotal character role? The central story could have remained pretty much the same, had the “karna-factor” not been there too. But, having it and then blowing it is a kind of “post purchase dissonance” in marketing parlance.
Over to performances, this is something which is more or less guaranteed in a Prakash Jha film. This movie was a treat with so many stalwarts sharing the screen together making me wonder at times whom to concentrate at. Arjun Rampal as the aggressive Bheema,Manoj Bajpai as the modern day Duryodhana, Ajay Devgn as the loyal Karna ( a role to die for ),Nana Patekar as the wise Krishna .But if I were to pick one, then the vote goes unambiguously goes to Ranvir Kapoor.What a performance for a novice!! He portrays the role of the focussed Arjun very effortlessly, letting the subtlety of the role take its prominence. The gradual transformation from a Ph.D student in British Arts to a cold blooded killer was played really well. Well done young man, for reposing the faith of the Director on you and holding on to your mettle amongst so many seasoned actors.
Contrary to pre-release hype, post-release Katrina would be the last person one would talk about. The entire buzz surrounding her playing Sonia ji fell flat on its face. In fact, the only similarity begins and ends with the fact that both are widely appreciated ladies in India born off Non-Indian set of parents. Katrina does have her moment in the film at the climax where she addresses a huge rally and invokes passionately the loyalty of the supporters for her family and party.
Overall, a good watch which delivers most of what was promised. I am sure it’ll rake in good moolah too. But I left the theatre with a disturbing thought. On one hand there has been a deliberate effort by some movie makers to encourage educated, young, smart Indians to participate actively in national matters through politics, and on the other hand this movie would be strong repulsion to the state of political affairs in the country.
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