Viruddh... Family Comes First

Wow did I like this movie. I might even buy it. First of all, to see Sharmila Tagore acting after SO long (24 years, I think) is like watching a beautiful butterfly light on a nearby flower. She really hasn't lost it. She's amazing. And she and Amitabh still do the couple thing well. I can't really decide if he's better with Jaya or Sharmila. He's such a great actor, he can turn it on and off whenever the director says "action".

The story is about an Indian boy who goes to a party, sees a woman shot, and decides to intervene. Huge mistake. The shooter is the son of the Home Minister, and before the struggle is over the, boy (Amar, son of Vidhya) has been fatally shot himself. He had JUST been properly married by his parents to Jenny, his love who is English. Of course the whole family and all its friends is totally convulsed, including Jenny who has seen her husband snatched away by death on the wedding day itself.

Well, the whole rest of the movie is about the struggle of Vidhya to get justice for his dead son. It is narrated by the ghost of Amar (more ghosts, ghosts seem all over the place in Bollywood). The theme of the movie is that when powerful people commit heinous crimes, Justice becomes not only blind but deaf and cold-hearted.

There are so many nice performances in this movie, its impossible to remember them all. Sanjay Dutt plays a mechanic who buys the building next to Vidhya's house and does noisy repair work when Vidhya and Sumi are taking an afternoon nap. There is a lot of conflict at first, but eventually they all become best friends. It becomes important to the plot.

John Abraham. Man he is GREAT as the faithful and respectful son. I know this won't make him give up his "bad boy" persona, but now fans know he has two (or more) dimensions. Jenny is played by Anusha Dhandekar who did an item number in the Rahul Bose-Perizaad Zorabian movie Mumbai Matinée. Her English accent (assuming someone didn't dub the movie) gives me to believe she is NRI. In any case, she is bahut bahut cute! She reminds me of a more familiar actress but I can't think of whom.

It is not a very musical movie, so don't expect that. It is a family drama and masala in the sense of laughter and tears all mixed together.

Anyway, for Amitji, Sharmilaji, and John, I give it an 8/10. And here's hoping Sharmila is now "back in the saddle" for good. She can give her son a bit of competition.

Viruddh is a film that has interest for the star power in it. Big B, Sanjay Dutt, and John Abraham make out to be a perfect cast. That's why I got it and was not let down

The first 45 minutes or so of this film is quite slow to the point you wonder if there will be a plot. It reminded me a LOT of another Amitabh/Abraham film Babuul which was really bad... but it turned out this slow beginning was just to get you hooked to the main characters. The husband/wife relationship played by Amitabh and Sharmila is at the heart of this film and without this intro film wouldn't have been as good

but hold on through the dragging beginning because Viruddh surely picks up and becomes an incredible tale. I won't say much because I don't want to give away the plot (which would ruin the film). But I will say that this film is truly unforgettable. Acting is superb, story keeps you going, characters are excellent.

One problem with Viruddh, not really a problem with the film but more of an annoyance was the RIDICULOUS product placement!!! Motor oil shot to the bottle an Sanjay pours it in a car but most hilarious was the WESTERN UNION scene that played no consequence to the film and was a scene added in where John Abraham essentially tells Amitabh just like in the commercials "hey Dad am sending you money, you can go to any location, etc. etc" wih a shot of Amitabh happily going to Western Union. I was cracking up!!! It distracts you from how real the film is... shameless!!! But forgivable because this film is great

And if you like this film you should check out Big B's Family with Akshay Kumar. SImilar like plot and Amitabh's acting is far better.

Both films are great. Enjoy!

A movie that is full with power packed performances from Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham. It shows how the political power in India can ruin the life of a simple "common man". It shows how the entire system is inside a corrupted vicious cycle. It shows how the police, witnesses, and even law succumbs to political pressure.

And Mahesh Manjrekar (as usual) gives an excellent output. Another good thing about the movie is that it contains no unnecessary songs/dance. Its kept to the point. The first half seemed a bit too long, and could have been shortened. However, it was compensated by a fast-paced second half.

The film basically revolves around Amitabh and Sharmila Tagore, and all other characters including Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham, and Anusha Dandekar seemed to be doing a side role.

All said and done, it is one of the best movies I have seen in 2005. Great performances, great story, and an overall good movie!!!

Rating: 10/10

Well-made! Well-Shot!! Mahesh Manjerekar redeems himself as a director.

Story of a couple above sixty and their strife "versus" the system is told with much reality and grit. Though compared to "Saaraansh", Viruddh differs in the story and treatment. A retired couple with life revolving their only son, their daily routine and their daily interaction with neighbors and surroundings are penned with zeal. Their tragedy and their fight for what is the truth is touching and brings many a heart-rendering moments.

The couple, played with an ease and truthfulness by Amitabh Bachchan and Sharmila Tagore, is heart-warming and touching. Watch out for them bantering between themselves over tea, the way they handle the "new" nuisance in their locality, the way they come to terms with tragedy and the system. Amitabh proves again that he is truly an actor to be reckoned with still. Sharmila gives able support.

The end was too swift!! But thats very minor!!

Watch it and have a warm experience!!

I am coming from Tamilnadu. In Tamil picture circuit rarely two post retirement/post menopausal couple are the chief protagonists. The last such film, I remember was "Vietnam Veedu". The Tamil filmdom thinks that old people can only be character actors. In our films even old male actors with fading faces have to act as lovers of heroines of their daughters' age. It is sometimes pathetic to see the old heavy actors making some dance sequences. So it is refreshing to see the old couple both in their mild and mature flirting with care for each other and the poignancy of their tragedy of the murder of their son and subsequent legal shenanigans. It is the younger men are the character actors in this film.

Amitab Bachan and Sharmila Tagore act brilliantly bringing the gamut of emotions. The final meeting with the murderer was excellent. Of course the story line is linear and some excellent pieces of dialogue crop up.

Yet there are a few rather typical cinematic scenes which are rather incongruous The old lady who is a retired teacher goes out with her teacher's cane and beats up the roguish Ali and others to bring some sense of decency in them which is rather too dramatic. Similarly the last verdict of NOT GUILTY on the old man is rather surprising. I am not a lawyer and am not aware of judicial nuances. But after all the old man is a murderer however justifiable his actions are and some token punishment (at least the time spent in the prison so far) would have been more judicial. Besides during the first trial the Home Minister and the Police went far out of the way in harassing Patwrdhan and his family but after his son's death the Home Minister seem to have been paralyzed. Nobody even tried to confiscate the tape recorder which ultimately reaches the presiding Judge of the second trial -"a shocking piece of evidence". The police officer who foisted the Drugs in the son's bedroom seemed to have gone scot-free.

But for these loose ends, deliberately left for dramatic purposes, Viruddh is a very good and interesting film.