Krantiveer

OK, there is a fairly common plotline here, elevated by some intellegent dialogues and the topic of Hindu-Muslim riots in India (which were in the news then, related to the desecration of Babri mosque in India), and punctuated by the usual Indian song-and-dance numbers. Mamta looks sexy, Agnihotri looks the part of her doe-eyed lover, Paresh Rawal stretches his acting abilities and Danny is... well, the villain. Dimple is great as usual, but the real item here is Nana, who blazes across the screen (he got a Best Actor award for this), mesmerizing the viewer. Take him out, and this is yet another Indian potboiler about politics, crime, romance and bloodshed.

Long after u forget the rest of the film, u will still remember all the scenes related to Nana. In fact, the director could have made the film more focused and gripping by taking out all the silly songs and sub-plots (even though i'm a bit partial to sexy rain songs featuring starlets like Mamta, they do seem to be out of place here). Like Pacino and De Niro, Nana Patekar's acting leaves u breathless and begging for more. If u r a fan of his, this is not to be missed. If u haven't seen any of his flicks yet, this is a FINE place to get started.

Rating: 8/10

Based on the 1993 Bombay riots, Krantiveer brought immense critical acclaim as well as commercial success to its lead actor Nana Patekar. This was his first solo hero role after gaining foothold in Bollywood as a formidable villain. His famous dialogue "Yeh Musalman ka khoon yeh Hindu ka khoon ... bataa is mein Musalman ka kaunsa Hindu ka kaunsa!!." struck the right chord with the masses. Indeed, the national integration theme was quite pertinent for those troubled times and the film became a super hit.

The plot revolved around a common man who takes on a local don (Danny) and his politician cronies who instigate communal riots. Dimple Kapadia played a journalist and rape survivor who admires Nana and helps him in his mission. Atul Agnihotri and Mamta Kulkarni had nothing much to do except a couple of unnecessary songs.

Mehul Kumar's treatment was unabashedly raw and volatile like his previous hit 'Tirangaa' (1993). Krantiveer was his last success and he made Mrityudaata (1997) and Kohram (1999) with Amitabh Bachchan later - both box office flops.

Krantiveer made Nana an instant star and public used to mouth his long monologue in the climax while watching the film multiple times in theatre. He was in full form and even grooved to love rap with Bindu (in a cameo). The film won Nana his first and only Best actor Filmfare award.

But today, Krantiveer appears quite loud and dated. It is frequently shown on Zee Cinema but I cant sit through it now. Well, times change and so does the audience taste..

The subject matter of Krantiveer is quite interesting, and it could have been a great classic. But sadly the film is a) very very exaggerated in execution; and b) is clearly not a film confident in its own merit and in order to attract wider audiences makes use of some unnecessary romantic subplots with younger actor so as to just make it more commercially appealing. As for the first point, the film is just very theatrical. Despite a strong story and good actors, it keeps abusing its core message and pushing it too much by being quite preachy, sometimes stagy, and unrealistic. The second point is a common problem of many films of the sort where older actors lead the film. In this film, Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia, two great actors who had by then passed their so-called sale-by-date, were probably insufficient factors for a commercial film, and so two young charmers were recruited for the songs and romantic portions, Atul Agnihotri and Mamta Kulkarni. How funny is that. The portrayal of the communal riots and the dehumanization that takes place after is handled quite well.

Where the film scores big time and everybody already knows that is in the stupendous presence of Nana Patekar, one of India's topmost actors. Patekar is tremendous in the part - real, nuanced, fiery - and he's quite a star, which is something the producers didn't really know or understand. He creates a man who is both a character actor and a hero, and this is definitely enough of a reason to watch the film. Another reason is obviously Dimple Kapadia, a marvelous actress in her own right. Her character is sometimes stereotypically written, but in a number of hard-hitting scenes, she outdoes herself even if the context is a little theatrical. Atul Agnihotri and Mamta Kulkarni do their usual bits, giving exactly what's expected of them, which is not much, as does Danny Denzogpa, who is the most typical villain you can get. I wish director Mehul Kumar had not turned this dark subject matter into a fluffy potboiler, as also seen in the songs and some of the action. The communal strife though is handled well, and kudos to Patekar and Kapadia for their superbly played roles. Overall, a flawed film but thoroughly watchable.

Mehul Kumar's 1994 drama about the importance of battling social injustice stars Nana Patekar as Pratap, a decent but lazy man unwilling to fight for anyone's cause but his own. He is finally roused to action by a fiery reporter named Megha (Dimple Kapadia) and by the cruelty of a ruthless, exploitative businessman named Yograj (Tinnue Anand). This movie is the most talented scripture I have ever seen. This movie also starring in Mamta, Atul & Danny. The movie features one of the best direction that I have ever seen. This movie is so interesting that I watched it more than 20 times. All the actors must have take there time in making this film.

Mehul Kumar's 1994 Box-Office Hit 'Krantiveer' is dark & disturbing. It isn't a a masterpiece though, but its an effective human-drama, that arrests your attention by its brash & brutal story. But, if there is a reason why this film is unmissable, its, without a shed of doubt, Nana Patekar's Astonishing Performance as the righteous/tough hero.

'Krantiveer' is a story about vengeance, love, hatred & racial-discrimination.

'Krantiveer' comes in-tact with some masterful, hard-hitting dialogue, that leave a terrific impact. Mehul Kumar's Direction is appropriate. Cinematography is perfect. Editing is sharp.

Nana Patekar left me astonished with his National-Award Winning Performance. The Actor takes an unforgettable turn & performs fearlessly from start to end. Its a performance, that deserves to be watched & respected! He's the soul of 'Krantiveer'.

On the whole, 'Krantiveer' is an effective film, along-with a performance that's utterly unforgettable.