AMITABH SCORES HIGH IN AN AVERAGE FILM
By Pankaj Shukla
Critic's I-view
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After shaking his hips in 'Bunty And Babli' for son Abhishek's sake, Amitabh Bachchan is back where he left Ravi Chopra's hit film 'Baghbaan'. Amitabh Bachchan this time plays a role that suits him more than singing around Aishwarya Rai on the tunes of Kajrare Kajrare. Still Amitabh Bachchan has so much left in him that is yet to be explored by the stereotype directors of Bollywood (san films like 'Black' and 'Sarkar' made by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ram Gopal Verma). Amitabh Bachchan's new film 'Viruddh' is a sneak peak into the lives of elderly couples who are living in metros without any one to listen to their grievances.
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Director Mahesh Manjrekar also returns to his favorite forte that is to deal with human emotions in the present days' social norms and behaviors. 'Viruddh' does remind you about films of Mahesh Manjrekar like 'Astitva', 'Vaastav' and 'Nidaan' made in the past and it also tells that when a director runs short of creativity, it is best to return to his own forte. Mahesh Manjrekar does the same in 'Viruddh' and if he is not a sure winner then he is not a complete loser to as a filmmaker. 'Viruddh' also marks a comeback for Amitabh Bachchan's home production after a long gap. Moreover, it unites Big B with yesteryears' sweet doll Sharmila Tagore after a gap of 27 years. They had paired on screen in film 'Desh Premee'.
'Viruddh' is the story of a sixty plus couple that has been thrown in such circumstances by destiny that is hard to think of. The calamity comes without any notice and when it strikes a small but a happy family is devastated. The story of 'Viruddh' revolves around Vidyadhar Patwardhan (Amitabh Bachchan). He is a happy retired man who has no qualms and no ambitions left unfulfilled.
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Her wife Sumitra (Sharmila Tagore) befits him like a ring in her finger and she is as caring a wife as one would expect one's wife to be. Vidyadhar and Sumitra foresee their future in their son Amar (John Abraham). Amar is a happy go- lucky kind of boy and he has grown up with the values of the Patwardhan family and that's never to bend before injustice. The high values taught to Amar in his childhood land him in a situation where things go wrong and he gets killed Initially, Patwardhan looks shattered.
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But, he is not a man of weak knees. He stands up to face the challenges that life has forced on him. He struggles against the prevailing system. The fight, the fear and the future of the Patwardhan family is all that keeps one's interest intact till the end of the film. The fight against the system is not a novel idea in Bollywood films. Similarly, the fight by an elderly couple for justice has also not been new. We witnessed it once in 'Saaransh' and then many years later in 'Dhoop'.
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As a director, Mahesh Manjrekar has once again proved that if he is given the liberty to make a film of his own choice, he will always come up with an emotional story like this. Mahesh Manjrekar also proves in 'Viruddh' that it is not the idea that works, but it is the execution of the concept that makes a film click. And, on this parameter 'Viruddh' is not a bad choice to watch. As an entertainer, 'Viruddh' does have its high values. Manjrekar directs Amitabh in a very complex role; a role that only an actor of his caliber can perform on screen.
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Patwardhan initially looks like an ordinary man living in your neighborhood. But as the film progresses, the change in the situation and the dilllema that he is thrown in, brings out the real Amitabh Bachchan in front of the camera. Amitabh Bachchan wins hearts of elderly when he talks to his wife Sumi. He clicks a chemistry with the younger lot too when he talks to his son Amar and he makes people sit and watch him when he confronts the world between the bad and the good.
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Yash Vinay may have failed in 'Dus' to create a right rhythm in story line but this time in 'Viruddh' they get their lines right and this may be because of the involvement of Manjrekar himself in the story department. Technically too, 'Viruddh' is an above average film. It may not have got backing from music department like 'Baaghban', but it does have some very good camera work (by Vijay Arora) and scene execution. Sanjay Pawar has managed to come with some very good punch line as a dialogue writer. But, the film is a bit lengthy and needs chopping at many places.
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As an actor Amitabh Bachchan scores full points and next to him comes none other than Sharmila Tagore. It is nice too see this talented actress make a comeback to cinema. Her absence from the screen has been a loss to cinema. John Abraham and Sanjay Dutt lend good support to the 'Viruddh' team. The film has a plenty of branding but like in Subhash Ghai's 'Yaadein' it goes overboard at many places. To get money from products is good but it harms narration of the story. Sachin Khedekar and Srivallabh Vyas emerge winner in supportive roles. On the whole, 'Viruddh' is an average film and needs strong mouth publicity to tilt the balance in its favor.
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