To be honest biographies are exciting. The person in
question is usually a larger than life personality with a fair share of noble
and murky tales strewn across the timeline. This week saw the release of the
biographies of two Maratha leaders who were incident in Indian History at
different times. Found some critics taking the moral high ground of not
appreciating the movie “Thackeray” because it happened to represent a man whose
values they did not fully agree with or with his actions which they believed were
incendiary in nature. Had it not been so serious one would have found their
attitude amusing because this is cinema. As an outsider to their world professional
courtesy demanded a more holistic look at the effort than just moral
reconciliation.
Thackeray is a cinematic biography of Balasaheb Thackeray
the charismatic leader of Shiv Sena whose enigmatic presence over the politics
In Maharashtra primarily and had a radiating influence on national politics.
Like him or hate him you could not ignore him. One has heard angry and
tremulous opinions about how the tale was lionizing the man and idolizing him
while covering up the less savory details of his political track.
But surprising and in total contrast to the repressed
murmurs and whispers of opposition, the film is as straightforward and as
honest it can be, with its script not attempting to alter or disguise actions
of a young egoistic lad who dumps a job at the Free Press to mobilize the
Marathi ‘Maanus’ to fight for what was rightfully theirs. Consequent event and
time see the natural evolution of an angry young brilliant acerbic artiste who
switches from a pen to more serious processes of dealing with strife in society.
The humble common populace and less aggressive is lured to this light at the
end of the daily struggle tunnel promising back a dignity that was buried in
the commercially repressed life. A young Thackeray with his vitriolic humor strides
the wave of popular movement against the outsiders from different states symbolized
by the business they dominate.
Contrary to expectations Sanjay Raut does no sugar coating
and tells the tale like it is be it the open defiance of the courts, and admitting
participation in violent acts in Indian religious sites or asking rank
outsiders to the city to respect the local language more prominently and
visually. To be fair to him such movements exists albeit subtly in every state
and for that matter every country in the world where commercial competitiveness
arouses locals to despise people who they believe to be responsible for them
not being at the top of the order in priority. It is more prominent in the commercial
capital simply because of the press it gets.
Nawazuddin Siddique has been appreciated for a few months
now for so fluidly slipping into the character. But in contrast one does not
lack of consistency in his performance. He blooms in the last 40 minutes when
you bang head on surprisingly sequel wall. One is just warming up to the
consistently bold film when it rudely ends in a dramatic fashion to bugles and
a promise to come back with the more crispy near past. Nawazuddin seems to
start a bit circumspect sticking to the director’s brief not daring to budge
from it, but totally owning the role towards the latter day Thackeray. He is
rocking form when towards the later stages of the film he admonishes the
governance around him and does not dither from a brave meeting with the PM
herself in the height of emergency. But he does not come across as apologetic
or caving in but actually an admirer of the hard style of governance he believed
in and saw coming on the horizon. Actually convinces you that it may perhaps be
the solution to todays near lawlessness in certain states. But then that is digressing
into the land of opinionating.
Amrita Rao is efficient and one suspects will have a larger
and commanding role to play in the sequel which is announced at the end. One is
almost sure that the sequel will tread into the arena of domestic disagreement
as the pivotal characters are seen towards the climax very strategically
positioned on each side of the protagonist.
There is really nothing to complain about lack of anecdotal
compilation. But unfortunately that also becomes the undoing of the movie as it
stridently progresses documentary style not budging from its chronological
journey neither derailing nor pausing to review and debate the fairness of the
actions. It simply states and moves on making brilliant use of black and white
vignettes to overlap time zones and then suggestively changing shades to
exhibit silent complicity without ever making a judgement.
The director is in control of his content but seems to be
held back by a script that demands each tale to be told even if it hampers the
entertainment quotient. This dampens the possible dramatic effect a biography
could have had.
RGV may be silently smiling in the wings as he had effectively
used a story in the mirror to dramatic success. One wonders if he could have
done justice to the content but that could have perhaps taken away the honesty
with which Abhijit approaches the subject and Sanjay lends his disciplined pen
to.
Perhaps they could have allowed the key actor to let go a
bit and dwell into the fine element of humor which was the mainstay of the
principal character but not touched upon except for a few quick to be missed
glimpses.
One cannot fault the art. It is all in place. Perhaps a
light entertaining brush could have made it a gripping watch which the sequel
promises to be.
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