Yugpurush is a universal picture of love and human relationships. It is a poignant, intelligent and crafted film about a man who is mentally disturbed yet widely loved and respected by normal people because of his simplicity, intelligence, positivity and love for the mankind. This man is called Anirudh, and he is played to perfection by Nana Patekar. As a child Anirudh was traumatised as a result of his parents' death, and now he has been released from the mental asylum after a long treatment. The film follows his experiences with people, the way he communicates with them and witnesses their personal troubles. The film presents three main characters through Anirudh: Ranjan (Jackie Shroff), a possessive and cruel man, Sunita (Manisha Koirala), a rich yet unhappy woman, and Deepti (Ashwini Bhave), a kind young woman. Their personalities are characterised in a rather dark way in comparison to Anirudh's bright and loving attitude. Sunita finds a real friend in Anirudh, and Deepti truly falls in love with him. This may seem quite odd given he is not a normal person, yet it is very believable throughout the film because it is a character that anyone would love. Anyone would want to have a brother, a father, an uncle, a husband, and particularly a friend like Anirudh.
The film's biggest strengths are the well-written dialogues which are fascinating and Nana Patekar's exceptional performance. And these two aspects are brought together very well. The dialogues are so poetic and brilliant that several lines can be easily considered as memorable sayings, particularly those mouthed by Nana Patekar. Patekar's portrayal of Anirudh is extraordinary. His restrained body language, quiet mannerisms and superb line delivery create a lovable, ultra-sympathetic character. The rest of the cast is good, though not as memorable. Manisha Koirala is fantastic. Note the wonderful scene when she publicly auctions herself. Jackie Shroff is very effective and plays his ambiguous part exceedingly well, while Ashwini Bhave is lovely in a compelling portrayal.
The title, "Yugpurush: A Man Who Comes Just Once in a Way" perfectly represents the film's main concept. It is the best way to describe Anirudh. At some point we too understand that he is too good for the "sane" world. The ending is saddening and shocking. The entire film is full of unforgettable scenes and moments. It is a film with a message, and every viewer is free to interpret it the way he wants to. All in all, this film is surely an underrated piece. It may not be very realistic, it may not be a brilliantly made film in terms of film-making, but it is a classic example of artistic excellence.