MOVIE REVIEW: MADAARI (2016)
It is a Bollywood movie with the contemporary political social struggle of common man. The idea was to highlight the level of corruption in the Indian politics and the rage of a common man against the system. The main attraction is obviously Irrfan. The script is patchy. A movie where you need a lot of patience but in the end it does not reward you. A good issue wasted with dreadful direction.
Director: Nishikant Kamat
Star Cast: Irrfan, Jimmy Sheirgill, Vishesh Bansal
Language: Hindi
My Opinion
Nishikant Kamat is a reputable Marathi director. His Dombivali Fast (2005) won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi. His last year release Drishyam was potent. Madaari begins with the mesmerising voiceover of Irrfan narrating the story of Baaz (hawk) and Chooza (chick), it follows the news clips from India. The footage covers issues of common men facing challenges of everyday life like water, electricity, corruption, train blast and protests on such issues.
A revolting opening. The Home Minister’s son, Rohan Goswami (Vishesh Bansal) is kidnapped, unlike normal kidnapping, there is no demand from the kidnapper. The case is soon in the hands of Nachiket Verma, played by Jimmy Shergill, a veteran actor who have given dazzling performance in recent years in Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster (2011), Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (2013), Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015)
This is the third movie I have seen where a fuming father fights against all odds for the justice for his lost child, Wazir (2016), T3en (2016), and Madaari (2016). Nirmal Kumar (Irrfan) is an ordinary, law-abiding citizen who does everything right, he votes, takes care of his family and earns a living honestly. He endures a traumatic death of his son because someone corrupt in the government built a faulty bridge. A furious and vengeful father decides to run the show. In the game of power, roles are reversed.
>The captor Nirmal takes help of Facebook to advocate his righteousness and justifies his act of abduction. The common men of India support and idolise him. The mother decides to plea for his son in a similar video post on Facebook. The movie moves back and forth, reels from Nirmal Kumar’s past to his present constant travelling to change location. We have two ends, one Nirmal (Irrfan) where dies when a sniper shooter attacks him outside the bus-stop. Second, he is safe and invites the home minister for an open debate.
The punch on the news channels to go to inhuman level to create sensation news is apt. The last debate is the core of the movie, rewards the slow development. Nirmal (Irrfan) summons every corrupt man associated with the bridge construction in a room, under life-threatening situation they confess on the live broadcast how the system work. Detailed methods of corruptions are revealed. Madaari has an ending with hopes.
The Verdict
The background score and poor editing disappointed me. Dialogues lift the movie. The child actor is immature in the initial scenes. Irrfan is, as usual, the most excellent part. Jimmy Sheirgill has done a fine job. There are clichés, loud songs to wider shots of masses glued to news and Facebook post on television. Watch this run of the mill movie for the excellent performance of Irrfan and Jimmie Shergil. If you are expecting anything close to Drishyam (2015), you would be disheartened. Madaari DOES not have the quality of ultimate faultless movie making.
When a promising script fails, Irrfan cannot save it.
When I am not watching or reviewing movies, I am consumed by books, roaming around with my husband, or you will find us experimenting in the kitchen. Hope you enjoy my opinion here.
