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.
