Monday, December 26, 2005

Apaharan-A sincere attempt at realistic cinema

Just saw Apaharan at a cinema hall in Mumbai with a friend in the middle of exams few days back.Firstly, there was a big discussion on whether to go for Home Delivery or Apaharan with Mr. talkative as that friend likes to call me vouching for Apaharan. At the end of the 3 hours of the show I must say after a long time my choice of a movie made sense.The movie although a very intriguing and dark portrayal of the kidnappings in Bihar(mainly) made us feel happy about our (or shall I say my) choice of the movie.
What can you expect from a movie which has not one or two but 3 National award winners
(Director Prakash Jha,actors Nana Patekar and Ajay Devgan) as a part of the movie.The 3 did deliver a knockout.The movie was gripping right from the beginning.We did miss the first 20 mins of the movie since buses to the far flung places of Mumbai are few.But,once we sat down to watch the movie we were completely engrossed in the movie.Nana Patekar provided us one of his best performances in recent times.His role wasn't the one we usually associate with him-that of an angry, frustrated man but of a shrewd,mafia don who also has a strong political base in the state and dreams of being the CM ala Mohd. Shahabuddin.
On the other end is a young ,unemployed graduate Ajay Shastri played by Ajay Devgan.This man is at a cross roads in his life where he is unable to stick to his father's Gandhian principles and at the same time has to hide the fact from his father that he has paid a bribe to be selected as a police officer after many unsuccessful attempts inspite of being amongst the best of the candidates.
The movie then shows how today's educated,deserving and qualified youth like Ajay Shastri are forced to take up the wrong methods and ways to earn money in India especially states like U.P,Bihar and Jharkhand where people are willing to kill for a measly sum like Rs.5000.
Within the first 45 minutes of the film we find our hero at the centre of the kidnapping industry and as a vital part of the baddie Nana Patekar's gang.
One place where the direction was a bit lax was in the second half of the film.Here I felt the director moved away from the main theme like the kidnapping industry and its implications on the lives of the common man in Bihar to the tug of war between Ajay Devgan and Nana's character.Probly the director could have focussed more on the overall picture instead of the two lead characters.
Having said that I would still give Prakash Jha a lot of credit for coming out with a film on such a topic which if not dealt with now will have serious implications on the country's law and order situation.
The performances by both Nana Patekar and Ajay Devgan are top notch.Nana Patekar definitely surprised me with this performance.I always thought that he was only good for the serious loud roles of a protagonist who is always frustrated with the silence of the people around him inspite of all the corruption,violence and inefficient administration.This one definitely was a much more subdued yet powerful performance.Ajay Devgan as always has portayed the role with utmost sincerity.His eyes show much more emotion than his face.The scene where he breaks down in front of his father (played by Mohan Agashe) made me numb for a moment.I just exclaimed "looks like its another National award for Ajay Devgan" to my friend who could just muster a grim smile.
One of the biggest compliments for me that day was when my friend told me that it was a good movie.I mean that was something I was always afraid of.Knowing my friends eagerness to watch Home delivery or any other fun and froth movie instaed of Apaharan,I knew I would have to face the prospect of never going out on a movie of my choice with that friend if this one fell flat on my face.The comment "It was a really good movie" just bought a sigh of relief to me.Otherwise I probly would have cursed myself for taking a person who has grown up on a diet of films like DDLJ,DTPH,KKHH,Veer Zaara and such romantic-comedies(that's what they prefer to call them) to a serious movie like Apaharan which doesn't have much of comedy(or shall I say buffoonery).
Mr. Jha I am eagerly awaiting your next one.Please take your time,but dish out another masterpiece like Gangaajal and Apaharan.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

yup da movie sounds much cooler now.might hav to watch it for sure now...

4:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yup it was me re ........

sai

9:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yea, watched the movie from 12.00 to 2 A.M at night in a luxury bus, wen i had to wake at 5 A.M next day :D But was definately worth it. Good reviewing. Keep it up!!!

Amogh

9:13 AM  
Blogger Pranav said...

Thanks yaar

9:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

THNX PRANAV TUNE MERE 3 GHANTE BACHA LIYE THNX YAAR AB MEI KOI AUR MOVIE DEKH SAKTA HUN HEHEHEHE

IT WAS GOOD
SAHUL

10:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

arre u blog is good......
u once told me to franly reveiew it.. rite...
u wnat me too... bol..... can u take in all the criticismmm and the suggestions......
i desist frm doin soo cause i kinda knw u wont be able hit back just as hard...
tu bol.. bhanti... wht i will tell will surel make snse,, u knw tht!!!!!1


--the devil

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