Madaari; or, Justice for All
The Hawk swooped on the prey and carried it away... Story
sounds believable, but you don't like to hear it... The prey then attacked the
hawk...sounds unbelievable, but is so pleasing to hear...
This week’s review will be about the latest film with Irrfan
Khan in the leading role. Obviously, I’m referring to Madaari (The Puppeteer)
which had its premiere in July, 2016 in India. Inspired by a real-life accident, the movie puts to question the integrity of Indian political system
and stigmatises its most condemning aspect: corruption.
Release Info
Directed by: Nishikant Kamat Starring: Irrfan Khan, Vishesh Bansal, Jimmy Shergill, Tushar Dalvi
Language: Hindi Movie Industry: Bollywood Runtime: 134 min
Synopsis
Nirmal Kumar (Irrfan) was a happy single parent with a
steady job. Unfortunately, his son Apu (Kedar Bagaria) died on his way to
school due to a bridge collapse. Devastated father is not able to stop mourning
after the death of his child. All of a sudden, Nirmal finds a new purpose in
life: to track down and punish those responsible for the accident. As a result,
he devises a sophisticated plan which centers on kidnapping the son of the Home
Minister (Tushar Dalvi). By the act of kidnapping, he intends to force
the Minister to find the culprits who built the faulty bridge. As Nirmal finds himself on the run across India with
8-year-old Rohan (Vishesh Bansal), mainstream media pick up the subject and hail Nirmal as a hero of the common
people.
The Ultimate Puppeteer
First of all, it should be made clear that Madaari is the
film that was inspired by true events (as stated in the original trailer) not based
on them. The difference between the two words may be small, but as I have not
paid close attention to the statement in the trailer, my suspension of
disbelief had to go through the roof while watching the actual movie. In other
words, Madaari takes a real event and positions it as a starting point for a
fictional tale of seeking justice and criticising the government.
Despite its hardly plausible plot (a guy kidnapping the
son of a politician and evading the police for a long period of time in spite
of the media buzz) the film is entertaining and easy to watch primarily due to the
reliance on "the individual vs. the system” theme. In addition, Madaari thrives
as an engaging thriller because of exploring the dynamics between its vivid
characters. Irrfan Khan gives a brilliant (even an Oscar-worthy I would say)
performance as a man who has nothing to lose and wants to give the
establishment a lesson. Vishesh Bansal does well as Rohan, a spoiled “prince” who
gradually befriends Nirmal, but the chemistry between them is not the core of
the picture.
Madaari’s true heart is the electrifying finale, which
provides the viewers with a vengeful self-satisfaction as if straight from Law
Abiding Citizen (2009) and Straw Dogs (1971). However, in contrast to these movies,
Nirmal’s revenge is not a morbid one. Instead, the film slams the audience with
a shocking message uttered by the Home Minister: “The truth is that the government
exists solely for corruption”.
The film will not change the state of Indian (or even
global) politics, but it may certainly contribute to spreading awareness about
the possible abuses of power by the leaders. I can easily imagine Nirmal
getting caught in reality by the CBI executive (Jimmy Shergill); nevertheless,
the film invites us to consider a what-if scenario: What if the oppressed individual makes
his point and does not die in the end? This aspect combined with Irrfan’s
top-notch acting is what makes Madaari a worthwhile motion picture.
Recommendations
I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes Irrfan
Khan. Whenever he appears on screen in the leading role, he single-handedly
carries the weight of a film on his shoulders thanks to his charisma and outstanding acting. Madaari is an excellent example of that. It’s a well-made
thriller, which also makes you think about authentic issues and political
degradation. All things considered, Bollywood is known for having many famous
Khans, but to me, Irrfan Khan is the real “Khan of Bollywood”.
Overall score: 8/10