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Reviews
Chakravyuh (2012)
Chakravyuh: Promises Lot; Delivers Little
For those who do not know much about Naxalism, its growth and the recent issues in India, Chakravyuh could be a good beginning to know more about the issue. But for those who have been in touch with the subject, the movie is a let down. The irony is that the movie touches on a lot of related issues, but fails to take it further. The movie starts with a brief introduction about Naxalism and an industrial group Mahanta Steel (whose boss lives in a 40 room-house in London; a clear reference to Vedanta Steel and its' owner) and within 10 minutes the drama shifts to Nandighat (reference to Nandigram). Adil Khan is posted in Nandighat for a special operation (to nab key naxals). In between he implants his friend Kabir into Naxal gang and things go on as planned for some time. Slowly Kabir has a change of heart and this is the main plot of the movie. While the movie should get credit for depicting a sensitive issue in a largely unbiased manner, with fine performances from some of the key actors, there are many places which leave the audience unimpressed. Throughout the movie, right from the first scene, it appears that the Director was in a rush to tell his story as quickly as possible. Characters come and go in a flash. Songs coming out of no where, 'item' numbers in the middle of a village, computers which run without electricity in a remote village, and little explanation behind what characters do are some of the things which further disturb whatever tempo the film builds in bits and pieces. The reason for Arjun Rampal's (Adil Khan) indifference towards Abhay Deol (Kabir) was both frivolous and hilarious. Similarly the manner in which Kabir becomes a part of Naxals was also dealt quite casually. One day the Naxals are in Jharkhand (Latehar) and the next day they are near Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). These are some of the places where one feels that more attention should have been paid. Overall 7 star for the effort, from taking up a sensitive issue, and for fine performances by the actors. Marks deducted for direction which is lose in many places, faulty story line at places, and poor editing and music.
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
A riveting drama spanning decades
One of the most awaited movies of the year, the first part of Gangs of Wasseypur lives up to expectations. However, the only disappointing aspect of the movie is that one has to wait for the part two of the movie to see how the story unfolds. The movie is based at Wasseypur and other surrounding areas of Dhanbad. The time-line of the movie spans from early 1940s to early 1990s. The second part of the movie is expected to span from early 1990s to mid 2000s. It's a story of Pathans Shahid Khan (played by Jaideep Ahlawat)and his son Sardar Khan (Manoj Bajpayee, Qureshis, and politician-cum-coal mine owner-cum- local don Ramadheer Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia)and his son. The tussle between Pathans and Qureshis, and that between Shahid Khan and Sardar Khan on one side and Ramadheer Singh and his son on the other side are the highlights of the movie. In between, one also sees different facets of coal mafia, revenge, rivalries among Muslims, and even love stories too. The movie is intense, gripping, and has a fair sprinkling of cuss words one finds in Bihar and Jharkhand, where the film is based. The music of the film is another highlight, and one needs to watch the film to fully realize the relevance of songs in the film. In short: a must- watch movie for those who love hard hitting movies with great acting from all the actors.