Madaari (2016) [Film Review]

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

Talvar (2015) [Film Review]

Talvar; or, Blindfolded Statute of Justice

     It is better to free ten criminals, than imprison one innocent...

This week’s review will be about a 2015 Hindi drama/thriller film based on the true 2008 Noida double murder case. Directed by Meghan Gulzar and starring great Irrfan Khan in the leading role, the movie attempts to objectively depict the whole process of the troubling investigation which generated the public’s disdain and distrust of the Indian legal system.

Release Info

Directed by: Meghna Gulzar Starring:Irrfan Khan, Neeraj Kabi, Prakash Belawadi, Tabu

Language: Hindi Movie Industry: Bollywood Runtime: 132 min 

 

Synopsis

On the 16th of March 2008, a 14-year-old girl, Shruti Tandon (Ayesha Parveen) is found dead in her bedroom with her throat slit. The police initially suspect the missing servant as the killer, but they find his decomposed body the next day. Needless to say, the media quickly interest in this morbid affair. Also, the situation is incited when police officers present their theory that the girl had an affair with the servant, and because of that the parents murdered them as a way of honour killing. Then, the investigation is handed over to CDI (the Central Department of Investigation) and Ashwin Kumar (Irrfan Khan) is put in charge of the case. The investigator comes up with a theory that there must have been outside involvement and the victims were killed by the servant’s friends. Nevertheless, new CDI director does not believe Kumar and assigns yet another team to start a new investigation...

Clean that Sword!

The film focuses on a very sensitive topic and, as it is not so difficult to deduce, similar motion pictures often failed in delivering their stories due to providing judgemental comments and taking sides (like this particular movie, for example). Yet, thankfully, that is not the case with Talvar. Meghna Gulzar really did her homework along with the scriptwriter, Vishal Bhardwaj, and genuinely tried to show what happened after the murder, instead of pointing at a person whom she suspects of committing the crime

As a result, the film is done in a very Rashomon-like style. We, the viewers, become Kurosawa’s commoner who listens to the accounts of a woodcutter and a priest. Of course, Talvar has its main hero played by Irrfan, but his character is there for the audience to highlight a possible alternate theory (in which the parents didn’t do it). The real heroes are the three theories of “what probably happened on the night of 15-16 March 2008”. It is up to us to decide which version is the most probable one, but still the Indian justice system is not able to verify which one is really true.

On a side note, I was quite surprised to find a lot of emotional comments under the film’s trailer. I understand that this is a very difficult case and, indeed, if the first investigation was carried out properly, there would not have been such a heated debate today. This is another issue brought up by Gulzar: negligence by the investigators (not securing the evidence, harassing witnesses, succumbing to political influences) and a (possible) miscarriage of justice.

In terms of performances Irrfan Khan’s acting is flawless, even though his character appears primarily in the middle section of the film and the finale. Neeraj Sabi and Konkona Sen Sharma are convincing as Ramesh and Nutan Tandon respectively. Also, Prakash Belawadi does surprisingly well as Kumar’s former superior/mentor. Additionally, it was great to see Tabu playing Kumar’s wife, however, she can be seen briefly in a couple of scenes.

Recommendations

I recommend Talvar to anyone who, similarly to me, has not heard before of the Noida double murder case. The movie’s content is objective enough so as not to cloud your own judgement on presented events. Meghna Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj did a very good job with this film. Plus, Irrfan singing Resham cracked me up!

Overall score: 7/10

Te3n (2016) [Film Review]

Te3n; or, Vengeance for a Granddaughter

     I couldn't do anything for my daughter. And after she was gone, I couldn't take care of our Angela also. I can't sleep at night. I have to find the man who took Angela away from us. And I promise you… I will find him.

Continuing my discussion of Montage, I’m now moving on to Te3n, an official Hindi remake of the South Korean thriller.

Release Info 

Directed by: Ribhu Dasgupta Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vidya Balan

Language: Hindi Movie Industry: Bollywood Runtime: 136 min

Synopsis

8 years since the kidnapping of his granddaughter Angela, John Biswas (played by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan) is relentlessly visiting the police station day by day. Inspector Sarita Sharma (Vidya Balan) politely tells Biswas that they have no clues about the kidnapper. Also, Martin Das (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), the officer who was handling Angela’s case, is frequently visited by John. Yet, personal shame pushed him to become a priest, thus he is reluctant to help Biswas. Nevertheless, undeterred grandfather begins his own investigation as one day he notices a girl wearing his granddaughter’s cap. In the meantime, another kidnapping occurs in exactly the same manner as the one 8 years earlier. Father Martin is convinced that the same kidnapper has returned.

Crime Streets of Kolkata

Firstly, I have to point out that I’ve seen Montage and Te3n back-to-back. Though watching Montage was an invigorating experience, I was pleasantly surprised by Te3n as well. I know it’s a remake and the script clearly does not shy away from its Korean progenitor since it tells the same story, but it’s not a lesser production altogether. Indian filmmakers took what was best in Montage, framed it in Indian cultural background (great setting of Kolkata), and added a few subtle changes. What were the results:

Slow-paced progression of the events. Especially at the beginning, it is very hard to get into the story. Both films begin with the same sequence of a child’s death, but whereas Montage jumped immediately at the whole before-it’s-too-late stuff because “statute of limitations,” Te3n scraps this whole segment and we have to sit through 20 minutes of talking and flashbacks in order to understand what is going on.

Yet, it’s not entirely a bad thing. Who said that thrillers have to be only fast-paced? This introduction at least allows us to get to know three main characters: another substantial change. In Montage, there was only the mother and the detective. Here, we have the grandfather, the priest (former detective), and the police inspector (who is a woman). Major change indeed, but it significantly improves the story.

In the original film, the mother seemed two-dimensional, hence the detective had to carry on his shoulders the emotional charge of the story. In Te3n, the three characters provide fresh perspective for the viewer. We’ve got John Biswas whose traits are the mixture of the mother and the detective (determination to catch the abductor, obsession, near insanity), Father Martin who used to be like detective Cheong Ho but his guilt destroyed him, and Inspector Sharma who... does not really give a damn about the old kidnapping case. In consequence, new characters not only remake but also reinvent Montage’s plotline, making it open to new interpretations.

Additionally, the way how John Biswas discovers the kidnapper’s identity is done differently. In Montage, it was not much of an investigation than a complete accident for the mother. She found an umbrella with a logo, made the list of suspects and it was the end. However, John goes full Sherlock as he finds new pieces of evidence (a cap, a pen, a company logo). Another positive alteration.

However, that’s basically it when it comes to plot changes. The makers of Te3n knew the value of Montage and did not even try to veer off its main course. Careful re-enactment of Montage’s most important moments (kidnapping, picture in the garbage truck, and dreadful railway station sequence) was a bit of a letdown to me. I know it’s a remake, but I hoped for some greater ingenuity. Yet, what I’ve seen was satisfactory enough.

In terms of performances, the three (as the Hindi title hints) leading actors are the main pillars of this picture. Amitabh Bachchan does a marvellous job as the grandfather seeking justice. You can feel the anguish, suffering, and emotional torment of the main character. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is convincing as a disillusioned cop-turned-priest seeking redemption. Surprisingly, Vidya Balan does well as a female police officer and I’m encouraged to check out some of her other films. Padmavathi Rao, though only in a supporting role, deserves an honourable mention as John’s wife.

Recommendations

Even though it’s a remake, I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in a good thriller. Although the main crime is repeated, the movie is well written, has an awesome cast, good music, and is set in West Bengal. Even if you have already seen Montage, check out Te3n to see what was done in a different way. In my opinion, Te3n stands equally with its South Korean source material on the level of quality. A solid production among Bollywood's 2016 releases.

Overall score: 8/10