Katyar Kaljat Ghusali

A lot has already been said about this cultural phenomenon in the Marathi world. Here's adding my two cents on it.

Katyar... is a film about the centuries-old, grand tradition of classical music in India with royal patronage. It is based on a Marathi play of the same name, originally released in 1967 as a "Sangeet Natak" aka musical. The genre of music prevalent in such plays was called "Natyasangeet" which was and still is an immensely popular art form in Marathi culture. With this background in mind and being a natyasangeet fan, I walked into the AMC Theater at Cupertino, yesterday, with sky high expectations from the film's music. Not only did it exceed all my expectations but it enraptured me, leaving me yearning for more. With the two maestros (Rahul Deshpande and Shankar Mahadevan) at the top of their game, ably supported by stellar artists, each rendition felt like a savory treat to devour. Appreciation abounded around me in the form of head nods and leg taps. As for me, having grown up listening to these songs being played by my grandfather on his harmonium, this brought back countless childhood memories – as a result of which there were some embarrassingly tearful moments throughout the duration of the movie. Hopefully the head-nodders and leg-tappers were too engrossed to notice...

The story revolves around a man's (Khan Saheb's) battered ego and his resulting dangerous obsession with winning at all costs. This is so fundamental to human nature that it easily strikes a chord. And who better to play the troubled, envious, complex Khan Saheb, than the veteran actor Sachin, who infuses such humanity in the character that your heart goes out to him even in his darkest moments. From the modest and aspiring talented artist to the manipulative, conniving, bordering-on-cruel royal singer, Sachin captivates us at every stage of the character's transformation. Subodh Bhave, though slightly miscast as the young and impulsive Sadashiv, is sincere and convincing. As for Shankar Mahadevan, I had my doubts about his histrionic abilities, but he seems so much like the benevolent music-loving Panditji in real life, that he fit in really well. Amruta Khanvilkar and Mrunmayee Deshpande are adorable as the innocent childhood friends who are forced into estrangement through no fault of their own. On a side note, all the female characters in the film, are shown to be spectacularly practical which is a refreshing change – one of them adeptly stops a man from committing murder while another questions her husband's decision to gift a "katyar"(dagger) as the prize for a music competition. If only men listened...

The stunning visuals, the background score and the beautiful costumes also deserve a mention. The movie's high production value is quite evident in most of the scenes. Overall, a surreal experience – especially for the musically inclined.

In the barrage of films and other entertainment products that come our way, every once in a while comes a creation that touches your soul and leaves an indelible mark on it. For me, Katyar Kaljaat Ghusli is that gem of a film.

Its a masterpiece by Subodh Bhave on his debut. I really do not know much about classical music, but it doesn't matter when you hear something like this. There should be a standing ovation after every show for the singers, composers, who have succeeded in taking this film at some different level. Its been quite a while that we have watched a musical film like Katyar Kaljat Ghusali. The cast includes some prolific actors like Sachin Pilgaonkar. I have adored him for his performances while I was a kid in some films. Its a comeback for him. I am sure the audience will love him in this film. Throughout the film, you feel like Sachin and Subodh are actually singing. Lyrics, Story, Dialogues, Sound, Lighting is as good as the music. My favorite dialogue in the movie," Live Long. Keep Singing." and "Any artist lives for that moment, when the audience wants the artist(singer) to perform and they keep applauding for the sheer talent. Shankar Mahadevan, our beloved one has done really well as an actor, as its his debut too. I cannot eulogize him more as he has been impeccable in his music and his songs in the film. Noteworthy and Excellence by Rahul Deshpande, Shankar Mahadevan, Mahesh Kale and Arijit Singh, Divya Kumar, Shivam Mahadevan. The Music is soothing and Soul of KKG.

Let me begin by saying that I don't have ear for the classical music. My father had seen the original musical play and we decided to watch the movie. And what a treat it was !! Starting from the first song "Sur Niragas" you are in awe of the past era and the might of music. I was in tears at Shankar Mahadevan's "Ghei Chhand Makarand". And it's not just Shankar, the other two leads Rahul Deshpande and Mahesh Kale (Yes, they are the leads even if they are not the faces you see on screen) are a treat to hear as well. The filmmakers have done well with the old classics and adding new compositions as well which don't look out of place. I could rave on and on about the music, but I would just suggest to experience this quality of music. The beauty of movie is that while the music is great, it does not fail in other aspects. The storyline is tight and moving well in both halves. Background score added to the impact. And the actors have well with their parts. No hamming. Especially Subodh and Sachin are so excellent that you won't feel that they are not the actual singers. Overall, I wont say "watch" the movie, I'd recommend, "experience" it !!

A movie which is related to music , is always seen as a movie , with no credibility, No liking and No life. And on top of that if the movie is with Classical music is always recognized as boring. Now Thinking ' Katyar Kaljat Ghusali ' is in that category; then you doing the biggest mistake in judging movies a great caliber. The movie is all about, Music , FriendShip , Forgiveness , love , ego, Help , Anger , Hatred. The Movie displays how music was the prime entertainment option in British rule, and how British rulers made use of strategy of divide and rule , and Indians used to fall for the pray. But Indians have great qualities such as power of forgiveness, love , talent and perseverance , that over comes , hatred and ego. All this is directed and played purely with music. The movie is a must watch, those who admires all that I said in my previous lines. The Movie , most of renowned , musicians , actors... So go and watch it in Theatre

Katyar Kaljat Ghusli has its crux in its music. The music of the movie is the star of the movie. Hats off to the whole cast and crew of the movie who worked for three and a half years to carve out this masterpiece. I would specially mention Shankar Mahadevan, Rahul Deshpande and Mahesh Kale for their mesmerizing voice with songs like Sur Niragas Ho, Ghei Chhand Makarand, Dil Ki Tapish & many more. Shivam Mahadevan is like the icing on the cake with the very beautiful song Mann Mandira Tejane. Sachin Pilgaonkar, Subodh Bhave, Shankar Mahadevan, Amruta Khanvilkar, Mrunmayee Deshpande, Pushkar Shrotri & Sakshi Tanvar have given justice to their respective role. A must watch film for all those who love music.