Maachis

... noone gains anything out of terrorism! And no better movie to portray this stark reality than Maachis! It truly depicts the circumstances that have forced many-an-innocent and ordinary men and women into terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir only to be slain by the police and/or by their own counterparts. The mixed feelings of a person on the borderline of becoming a terrorist are brought out beautifully. Except the part about how Kirpal Singh is finally caught, a very well made movie!

Maachis (matches) is one of the most realistic Hindi film I have seen and I must say the film is engrossing from the very first frame. Gulzar saab is one of the greatest filmmakers of his time and his artistic ability are not to be doubted here as well. The way he has handled most of the scenes in this film is really mind blowing. Maachis is one of the few films where the narrative is of secondary importance while the performances of the actors are the primary focus. I never liked Tabu until I saw Maachis and I was assured that this girl is not just merely an eye candy in films, she was really irritating in Sajaan Chale Sasural. Chandrachur Singh has given his career best performance as Kripal Singh before sinking into oblivion. Jimmy Shergill was good. Om Puri and Kulbhushan Kharbanda are excellent. Raj Zutsi was also good. Some scenes like the brutality of the policemen who use the anti- Sikh insurgency only as an excuse to beat innocent people up really shock you. The climax is explosive and leaves you to ponder on the aftermath of the 1984 anti-Sikh insurgency. A brilliant movie with wonderful performances and a strong story. A must watch!

Gulzar's 'Maachis' depicts the tension and terror in Punjab post the 1984 riots. During this period tension exacerbated as terrorist actions took place and alleged suspects were tortured and murdered during fake encounters. 'Maachis' follows Kripal and Veera as circumstances force them to walk the path of crime. Poet that he is, Gulzar's storytelling is lyrical and this effectively highlights the harsh irony and tragedy of the situations. Not for one moment does the story feel unreal.

The sets and costumes look authentic. The landscape is brilliantly captured. The cinematography is superb. Manmohan Singh makes efficient use of the camera as he alters between various techniques such as long shots, static and hand-held. Vishal Bharadwaj's score (that includes Gulzar's own lyrics) beautifully contributes to the film.

The performances are topnotch. Om Puri, Raj Zutshi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Suneel Sinha and Jimmy Shergill are excellent. Chandrachur Singh is very good. But, it is Tabu who steals the show with a transcendent heartbreaking performance. Even in the simpler moments, like a particular scene during the song 'Paani', within seconds her face subtly changes from smile to tears and it looks so natural.

1996 saw at least four other such cinematic treasures in the form of Shyam Benegal's 'The Making of the Mahatma', 'Sardari Begum', Mahesh Bhatt's 'Tamanna' and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Khamoshi: The Musical'. During a time when Bollywood was churning out trash, few directors like Gulzar, would give us some gems. I wish he would make a comeback like Shyam Benegal.

Set post 1984, when the "tree had fallen and the earth had shook", resulting in the lynchings of thousands of innocent Sikhs and the subsequent thirst for revenge against the complicit policemen, this is realistic, raw and brilliantly acted.

The dialogues are hard hitting. I remember that I could not watch this 24 years ago, as it had been rated A, fit only for adults because of some lines that compare and criticise Gandhian means of getting independence with the more revolutionary means.

The acting is stunning, with Tabu and Om Puri being the standout performers. The songs have become classic over the last quarter of a century. There is only one criticism. The other side , the police / law makers' side is never shown.

Highly recommended. It is a very brave film. Meant for lovers of world class Indian cinema. _Streaming on Amazon Prime_

This film should be re-released in the light of the Nanavati commission findings (2005). Though I do not justify the action of the characters in this film, directed by one of the well-known lyrist and director Gulzar, this reflects the magnitude of corruption in bringing the perpetrators of the 1984 riots to justice.

Above all, this film is one of Vishal Bharadwaj's earliest hits as a music director (yes, the same man who has made "Makdee", "Maqbool" as a film director) His music score blends very well with the story, screenplay... especially the natural scenic shots of the mountains of Kashmir and Punjab.

All the songs are hummable; one can easily understand the implications of the lyrics and the tenor of the musical beats.