raghu_kulkarni

Having seen INFERNAL AFFAIRS and how mesmerised I was by its telling, this is by far a definite disappointment. All this star power comes to zilch because Scorcese and the writer miss the basic of what IA was all about. Honor, integrity and loyalty was what IA was about and Scorcese goes and messes with the main storyline by having the gal be a shared meatpiece(sorry for the crass metaphor).

I wonder if Media Asia Films(who own IA) knew about this interpretation which in my opinion should absolutely have not been allowed !!!! Watch at your peril of a movie gone bad in Hollywood. Instead save your money and catch the original which is a fantastic film!

From renowned Jnanpith award winner and playwrite Girish Karnad comes this fantastic piece of cinema, released around the same time as SHOLAY(perhaps six months later) and surely deserving much better national recognition than it ultimately got.

In paying clear tribute to Akira Kurosawa and his SEVEN SAMURAI, this movie is the story of a couple of mercenaries that are pitted against each other in the politics of old and feudal Karnataka. Sumptuously shot in the forests of Dandeli by AK Bir, this Shankar Nag debut won him the National Award for best actor. I wouldn't go as far as to say that his acting was great, but the obvious energy he brings to his role is very evident. He went on to become an 'action' hero in Kannada films and director of some repute as well(MALGUDI DAYS in Hindi for National TV and MINCHINAOTA(A Lightning's Run) & ACCIDENT both in Kannada), until his own untimely death at the young age of 35.

Not to digress, but this movie was arguably the first one to introduce the use of Kalarippayattu, the Kerala form of martial arts into filmdom. The stunts are breathtaking and the movie worth seeing solely for those.

Karnad is a very intelligent craftsman. He does not really have too much time or head for bringing in comic relief into his movies. All the lighter moments are perhaps only in keeping with the characters' natural development within the scope of the story. Another actor that impresses is Sunder Krishna Urs as the senior mercenary and older warhorse.

Apparently a VCD of this movie is now available in its native state of Karnataka (unsure if it is available worldwide). But this one is for collectors and lovers of intelligent cinema and well told tales!

With a bigger budget Jabbar Patel may have worked wonders with the production quality, but suffice it to say that for followers of Marathi stage this is a must see movie. The taught script, the great story telling and above all the fantastic performance by Sonali Kulkarni (no relation to opinionator :-))

Ofcourse there are flaws, such as the so called African American has a thick African accent rather than the American accent he should have had and the production qualities really do suffer at times.

But the play of showing street plays within the movie itself to make a point and the angst of the Dalit protagonist against the upper class discrimination even in these days of progress are superb.

A movie that really does 'entertain' and also makes one think. This review itself is my much needed reaction to the viewing experience.