AN EYE OPENER FOR MEDICAL FRATERNITY
By Satyajit - Eye TV India Bureau
Critic's I-view
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Dark thrillers are unpopular genre in commercial cinema but have been the strong vehicle for theatrically enriched subjects. It has never been a fancy of an ordinary movie buff to adopt harsh treatment and sadistic approach. During the last few years there have been films like 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Siskiyan', 'Dansh' etc where the filmmakers have stressed out theme through dark thrillers. There have been one night or one day escapades unfolded through handful of theatrically sound actors. 'Deadline-Sirf 24 Ghante' is an eye-opener for medical profession where writer and director have chosen the infamous path of a dark thriller in projecting this socially relevant issue. The film draws parallel lines from the "noble" profession and from an ordinary profession through the declining morality rate of medical profession. Hollywood 'Johnny Q' dealt with situation where the protagonist turned an outlaw after being traumatized by the ruthless and materialistic medical system. It was inspired well in Bollywood in 'Tathatsu' where Sanjay Dutt played the anti-hero with a similar concept. Tanveer Khan tries to plagiarize the similar concept through vendetta saga amalgamated in kidnapping saga.
Tanveer Khan, the name may sound unfamiliar in credits, but it has been the brainchild of eminent director Indra Kumar for years. Tanveer started his directorial career with perplexed suspense saga 'Madhoshi' dealing with unfamiliar concept of "hallucination". Unfortunately, the film bombed disastrously but proved that the director has acumen of providing different subjects and potential themes. The concept of "hallucination" was overwhelmed unanimously in Raju Hirani's 'Lage Raho Munn Bhai'. The film brought "Gandhian" values with the much unexplored concept of "hallucination" and the film got enormous success.
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Tanveer's second venture 'Deadline' is a big take on socially relevant cinema where the cold-blooded doctors' ambitions are highlighted through a spine-chilling suspense thriller. It has been shouldered by the finest of theatrical talents that comprises Irfan Khan, Konkona Sen, Rajit Kapoor, Zakir Hussain and Sandhya Mridul in the lead roles. The treatment has been hot blooded and provides "edge of seat" chilling experience in the first half. The second half is an eye opener as the film flashbacks into the professional blemishes of medical profession. Raju Hirani's 'Munnabhai M.B.B.S' was a satirical treatment to the problem whereas 'Tathatsu' showed the dark path. 'Deadline' has no light or refreshing moments with painful shrieks and shaky grimaces ruling the screen throughout the twelve reels.
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Recently, there have been small budget films that have outclassed big budget ones in terms of path-breaking treatment. 'Deadline' caters to special class of audiences who believe that the cinema can be a big source of social reformation. This type of cinema runs parallel to ordinary viewer's expectation from conventional cinema but gives them aesthetics of believing in themselves. In short, these films are like theatrically conceived news reels exhibiting social evils through the dark experiences of the characters. Despite its gory treatment the film never gives moments of boredom though it has minor blemishes in its narration.
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'Deadline-24 Sirf Ghante' opens on a happy note in the life of well renowned heart specialist Viren Goenka (Rajit Kapoor). He has the lovely world of his caring wife Sanjana (Konkona Sen) and seven-year old daughter Anishka (Baby Princy Shukla) in Mumbai. The family gets a major boost when Viren is conferred with the "Best Doctor" award from medical fraternity in Delhi. The man with "golden arms" and the one who provides life to hopeless enjoys the finest phase of his life. His dream venture of building a hospital for heart patients is also in full swing. But the destiny has different plans... Krish (Irfan Khan), a ruthless kidnapper along with companion Kabir (Zakir Hussain), kidnaps Anishka from Viren's house. Sanjana's life turns upside down when she confronts Krish in her house.
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She is further traumatized to experience that her daughter is kidnapped by Krish's gang. Roohi (Sandhya Mridul), third member of the gang, follows Viren in Delhi and tells him about his daughter's kidnapping. Kabir hostages Anishka while Krish stays with Sanjana and Roohi remains in contact with Viren in Delhi. The gang demands an astronomical amount of thirty million rupees from Viren for the return of his daughter. Initially, Viren and Sanjana succumb to their pressure but finally try to break loose. Even Anishka breaks herself free from Kabir's hostage but she is rescued. Viren arranges for the amount but is deceived by the gang.
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The news about kidnapping and kidnappers are flashed on news channels but Sanjana has no ill feeling. She narrates the misfortune of a hapless father to Krish. It was during this time that Krish lost his son due to lack of funds and non-cooperation by Viren. Krish along with his wife Roohi and friend Kabir ran from pillar to post for funds but could not arrange for Viren's fee. So, he took this ghastly step. Viren regrets for his misdeeds and apologizes to Krish . Anishka is returned to Viren and Sanjana by Krish through Kabir.
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Writer and director Tanveer Khan's scripting along with Dilip Shukla's screenplay makes positive moves in story telling but turn flashy in second half. The sequence where Sanjana mixes medicine in Krish' drinks to raise his BP and finally gives him antidote sounds unrealistic. Why a wealthy entrepreneur or a doctor like Viren Goenka is not guarded? Second, how does Viren arrange thirty million without mortgaging his property? These are minor lapses in the scripting otherwise the film has tight narration with fine performances.
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Irfan Khan comes out with another fine performance of a merciless and cold-blooded kidnapper. The actor has been better known for his negative shades and rise to stardom in films like 'Maqbool' and 'Haasil'. It brings out the actor in different genre and his performance holds the fort commendably. Konkona Sen Sharma demands no introduction for being a proficient actress in films like 'Page 3' and '15 Park Avenue'. She has emoted well in grim situations. Rajit Kapoor has been better known for his performance as Mahatma Gandhi in 'Gandhi se Mahatma tak' and with a couple of meaningful performances in 'Ghulam' and 'Zubeida'. The actor plays brilliant as the flourishing and arrogant doctor. Sandhya Mridul makes her second promising on screen after Madhur Bhanderkar's 'Page 3'. Once again, she is supplied with bold characterization. Zakir Hussain plays the role of a timid kidnapper with ease after his deadly villainous act in 'Sarkar'. Baby Princy Shukla is another inspiring aspect of the film that brings relevancy to the subject.
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'Deadline' may not have the desired ingredients of a commercial entertainer but has been tailor-made for the niche audiences. The experimentation of subjects has been widely accepted in multiplexes and it has been proved in the changing trends of box-office. At a time when comedies are ruling the marquee, this will be different but promising to view. It's a stepping stone to the meaningful cinema and falls in the cadre of well conceived films like 'Iqbal', 'Black' and 'Page 3'. Let's hope that it catches the fancies of contemporary Bollywood filmmakers so that the social messages can be conveyed through conventional entertainers.
In nutshell, the film is an eye opener for medical profession and it should raise alarm in the fraternity for better society.
[Bollywood Today]
