Aarakshan

Aarakshan is a movie which again brings out the best of the Indian cinema. the movie describes the prevailing education system in India where due importance is given to coaching classes and rot learning rather than creating free thinkers in this evolving world of ours.

there was a time in our history when teachers were given due importance for their knowledge and wisdom, but in the current scenario, teachers are regarded as a means to just deliver the syllabus and walk out of the class after the completion of the scheduled topic. but than there is no alternative to that as the whole education system in India runs on the syllabus.

and then comes the minority people in the picture. there are reservations for them in most of the schools or colleges of the nation which creates a partition of another kind in the institutions resulting in a chaos. there is probably only one solution to this and that is strengthening the public education by the government from primary till graduation. this can't be done without cooperation from the general public as well as the private institutions help after looking at scenario in the government. government of our nation doesn't seem to be serious about this issue and so it is we who should take up the responsibility as citizens of the nation.

sometimes silence seems sufficient when words fail to describe your gratitude to someone. this is one of those movies. go for it! "no offense intended"

How many times do you go to watch a movie with no or zero expectations... Never. There is always an acid test a filmmaker needs to go through for any movie. And even with Aarakshan, there would always be parallels drawn with Prakash Jha's Raajneeti. Although , quite a different subject and even if we don't compare this with his biggies like Gangajal, Apaharan and Raajneeti, still, Aarakshan is a 3 hour long duel filled with illogical set pieces, spineless storytelling and inappropriate casting that fails to convince and is impressive. Decent performances by Big B and Saif ,saves the day even as Mr.Jha fails to bring out a "Karaara Jawaab" like stellar performance from Manoj Bajpai.. Prateik Babbar hams a lot and needs to hone his linguistic skills and voice modulation ,though I strongly believe the lad will go a long distance. Deepika is simple and sober and the performance or whatever little we saw is fine.

The movie is very confusing in itself and it seems the director isn't sure what he wants to portray, a documentary, social drama,or just a comment on just the education culture. The first half shows how the long nurtured relations are destroyed and castrated even as the winds of reservation sweeps the nation ,but there's always a disconnect with the viewer and the emotions just don't come out gracefully. Although there are definitely some high voltage power packed sequences between Babbar and Saif and Saif and BigB /Bajpai..but the movie turns out to be a lecture in disguise. Even as you hope that the second half would bring in a spark of brilliance ,what you get is an inept story that dwindles to solving personal vendettas and one incessantly keeps staring at his watch as the movie drags on.. The movie deserves a 2/5 with an advice of Watch it only if you Must..or watch only if you have Quashed Each of your Desire (QED) { a mathematical formula that filmmaker has turned into a joke}

I have always kept Prakash Jha in high esteem since I watched Hip Hip Hurray (1984) and Damul (1985) on Doordarshan and Gangaajal (2003) and Apharan (2005) in theatre. I always appreciated his guts of calling a spade a spade and dealing with his chosen theme without fear or favour. Further, nowhere I found him going astray from his track until I watched Rajneeti last year in which he turned the hard-hitting political drama into a Mahabharat-wrapped revenge saga in the post-interval session of the movie.

In Aarakshan (reservation), he has gone a few steps ahead in the wrong direction. Before release, it was thought in the cine-circles that he has dealt with this sensitive issue with sensitivity and maturity. Pro-reservationists having a vested interest in the Indian voting politics, had started making a hue and cry under the impression that perhaps it has said anything against the reservation policy of the state. And it's been banned in some states too which, now I know, is ridiculous because the movie speaks in favour of reservations for backward classes. Instead of presenting a balanced view, Prakash Jha has taken a stand this time, the stand in favour of the caste-based reservations. He had (unsuccessfully) fought the Lok Sabha election a few years back and he might be willing to make any such attempt in future as well. And therefore, he knows very well that no anti-reservationist can win any election in India in the given scenario. So the politician in the disguise of the filmmaker also has not taken any chances in this regard.

I always admired Prakash Jha's guts to point out a finger at the system. But now I can see the hollowness of his guts. Now I realize that the times have come when you can criticize the shameless cops and the thick-skinned politicians because they have now got habituated to their criticism (and condemnation). However, you can't dare to speak a single word against the reservations in the state-owned (or state-aided) educational institutions and govt. offices (and PSUs). Since the reservations have become an ever-milkable cow in the hands of the politicians, themselves as well as the beneficiaries of the system have become intolerant enough to behead the people who speak a single word against them or even demand a healthy debate on them. Prakash Jha understood that the reservation issue is a tough nut to crack, hence he chose a softer target to attack - the private coaching institutes.

To justify the title, the filmmaker has considered a few statements and arguments for and against the reservation system enough. Otherwise, he has focused upon the commercialization of education. Well, that's also a good subject and a burning issue for the middle-class parents who dream big for their children. But then, what's the need to make the movie under the title Aarakshan and what's the need to create some traditional villains in the movie and showing them as anti-reservationists (and even castists) ? By showing the baddies as cursing the reservation system and humiliating the lower caste people, the moviemaker has made his own stand pretty clear. The main protagonist opines in favour of caste-based reservations and terms the social rift created by them as the price is to be paid to correct the social injustice. Well, is it the correct price to be paid and is it the correct way to ensure social justice, he does not delve deep into it. And can one injustice be corrected through another injustice ?

Prakash Jha (and his hero - Amitabh Bachchan) is unable to comprehend that the reservations are being expanded only because they have become a means to catch votes. The social harmony and the national unity has got shattered to pieces due to them but do the pro-reservationists really care ? Politicians are not interested in increasing resources and means, they are only interested in restricting access to them through reservations and strengthening their vote banks consisting of the beneficiary communities.

Commercialization of education is definitely detrimental for the society and Prakash Jha has rightly said at a place that even the among the reserved classes, the real beneficiaries will be those only who have money to buy education. However he has presented a too simplistic picture of it and offered a too simplistic remedy for it. This is a traditional hero versus villain clash and the larger-than-life angry young (now old) man comes triumphant in an utterly filmy manner. Not really expected of Prakash Jha.

The main characters (except the baddies) seem to be real but their activities do not seem to be realistic. Other than Saans Albeli (sung by classical singer - Pandit Chhannulal Mishra), the music is just passable. However, let me admit that the cast has invested hard and sincere work in performance and despite some characters being caricature-like (especially the character of Manoj Bajpai), the cast has done pretty well.

I still recommend this movie because it's impressive in patches and it's an entertaining movie which keeps you glued to the screen like a regular masala flick. Let me tell one thing to Prakash Jha loud and clear - the performance of a race-horse is to be compared with that of a race-horse only. It cannot be given any concession for the fact that it is running faster than the Tonga-pulling horse or the horse used in Baaraats (marriage-processions). Prakash Jha's work is to be evaluated against the high-standards set by him for himself only and those standards cannot be relaxed for any film of him. If he delivers a movie which does not live up to his set standards, he should be ready for brickbats.

Prakash Jha is one filmmaker who doesn't mind taking controversial topics & this time too he has succeeded in adapting a relevant topic on screen.

Amitabh Bachchan & Manoj Bajpai are terrific with their characters & portrayals. Deepkia Padukone & Saif Ali Khan add to the fervor. Supporting cast supports well. I am mesmerized by the intuitive fast- paced screenplay for a drama without cutting the lines short. Music is apt & there is no single moment where it attenuates. With all the college atmosphere & the grave state of education system in India just makes it too interesting.

Personally, I enjoyed the whole movie which also is emotional, dramatic, romantic & lovable at times. Except for the foggy climax & the feeble conclusive plot lines, I rate it a good 8.4 out of 10.

BOTTOM LINE: Highly Recommended to youngsters & adults alike if they are looking for an answer on the education system in India. Not that it answers brightly, but you will enjoy for sure.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Profanity: Mild | Sex/Nudity/Porn/Smoking/Alcohol: No | Violence: Strong | Gore: No

ha! i saw Aarakshan yesterday. i was expecting some thrill and political drama.it is there but only 10%, I'm not gonna recommend this film to any one. specially no need to theater.and if u like family drama and if u r not interested in any AARAKSHAN type of stories.u may watch this movie. Movie is all about Mr.bacchan.and he has done a very good job, deepika and saif were good. in first half an hr movie goes very very slow with unnecessary songs. after that, till interval it gets more slow. but after an interval movie speed like...more slow.Movie takes speed when people running out of theater.

STORY : story was so so. (5/10) DIALOGS : too much! (4/10) ACTING : every one was awesome (9/10) Speed : very boring ... too slow (2/10) TITLE : Nothing about arakshan (1/10) SONGS : so irritating .. (1/10)