A TOTAL FAILURE!
By Eye TV India Bureau
Critic's I-view
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'Siddharth - The Prisoner', directed by debutante Pryas Gupta, is an unconventional storyline though it's almost impossible to distinguish the unconventional from the conventional cinema. Still, we can say that 'Siddharth-The Prisoner' is a non-conventional one inasmuch as it isn't the mainstream movie. Yes, it's a kind of experiment made by Prayas Gupta to depict the character of a celebrated writer who suffers both in his professional as well as his personal life. This more suited for film gatherings both at home and abroad than at city theaters for commoners. We wonder if the story can fare well on screen though it might evoke sympathy among literary circles.
According to the movie's story, Siddharth Roy played by Rajat Kapoor is just released from prison. Being a famous writer before going to the jail, he completes a new manuscript, and re-engages himself with the outside world in the hope that he would thus regain his past glory. He also hopes that he would thus reconcile with his estranged wife named Maya. As the luck would have it the writer happens to exchange his briefcase at a cyber café with a similar briefcase. Thus he loses his precious manuscript for wads of currency notes belonging to café manager Mohan played by Sachin Nayak. As a result, the proprietor of the café played by Praddip Sagar pressurizes the former to recover his lost money. While the cyber cafe man desperately hunts for the underworld's moolah, the writer launches a frenzied search for his manuscript!
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In the meantime, the writer takes a break to rebuild bridges with his three-year-old son. However, he realizes that despite being free, he carries the burden of prison on his head. Since the movie is a short duration one for over one and half hour, the director shouldn't have wasted his first full hour in introducing a number of characters. He forgets that a thriller like this movie needs to be interesting to keep the audience sit in their chairs rather than bore them with the slow pace. Maybe the director has faulted in storyline itself and thus fails in conveying his message clearly to them. Though the movie begins the moment Siddarth is freed from the prison, the viewer is unable to comprehend as to why he was put behind the bars.
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Similarly, there is no explicit reason for his wife becoming estranged. All of a sudden, the story takes a u-turn and moves towards the climax.
Hence, it seems that Prayas Gupta has tried to pay his tribute to Albert Camus' 1942 classic, The Stranger (L'Etranger). Otherwise why should Siddarth pick up a copy from the footpath and walk off lovingly with it! Incidentally, Siddharth Roy not only misses the Booker prize but also lands himself in prison. On release from there he moves around Mumbai lanes, finds a typewriter and sits in a dingy place to try for Booker prize.
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Overall, the movie is a total failure. This lacks on almost all counts, be it its screenplay, its dialogues, editing or direction. The story is weird though the director has tried to depict the character of a tormented man. From the point of view, Rajat fails to meet expectations while other characters have played their roles as desired by the director. Since the story is weird, the scope for actors to play their characters is very limited. So, Sachin Nayak proves his mettle while Pradip Sagar succeeds at times. Pradip Kabra is too weak to stand on his feet.
