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Anushka Sharma and Imran Khan in a scene from Vishal Bhardwajs comedy, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola.
Film-maker Vishal Bhardwaj is known for his experimental and original style, even when he is adapting Shakespearean works like Macbeth (Maqbool, 2003) and Othello (Omkara, 2006). Bhardwaj’s films are also celebrated for being quirky, imaginative and bold.
His films tend to be dark and grim, and he does not shy away from depicting man’s baser instincts, such as lust, vengeance and gluttony.
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (MKBKM), now showing at the Suncoast Casino in Durban, marks a shift from the traditional Bhardwaj cinema style. In MKBKM, Bhardwaj turns to the genre of comedy to address the serious issue of land acquisition.
MKBKM is the story of Harry Mandola (Pankaj Kapur), an alcoholic feudal lord from a fictional Haryana village in India. Harry plans to appropriate village farmland for development, without thought to the villagers’ plight.
Harry’s biggest problem is that he has two distinct personalities. When he is sober, he is an ambitious, greedy and cunning businessman but, under the influence of alcohol, Harry morphs into a sentimental, generous socialist, who incites the villagers against his own development plans.
Harry’s “Man Friday”, Matru (Imran Khan), a law graduate who has returned to the village, also wants to help the villagers save their land.
Matru encourages Harry’s drinking habit and is in love with his Oxford-educated daughter Bijlee (Anushka Sharma), who also joins the battle to save the farmland.
Thrown into this revolutionary atmosphere are corrupt politician Chaudhari Devi (Shabana Azmi) and her dim-witted son Badal (Arya Babbar), who Bijlee plans to marry. Adding to the plot is the mysterious Mao character, a faceless well-wisher who helps the villagers stand up to Harry.
MKBKM is not a typical Bollywood film. Bhardwaj brings a great deal of eccentricity to the treatment. The recurring appearance of a grinning pink buffalo, Gulabo, (an essential part of the plot) is an example of Bhardwaj’s unconventional style of storytelling.
Bhardwaj shows his quirkiness as a director by poking fun at the mandatory “smoking is injurious to health” disclaimer shown at the start of most Bollywood films. Bhardwaj uses this opportunity to provide his own tongue-in-cheek warnings, such as “too much water will leave you bloated” and “eating lemons will pucker your lips”.
Bhardwaj, also credited for the film’s story, with Abhishek Chaubey, falls short in delivering a gripping narrative. The story has great initial promise but loses steam as the plot veers from the eccentric and shifts to a more traditional romantic angle.
The film would have benefited from a more consistent focus on the deeper issue of corrupt politicians who justify development as a form of altruism. Sreekar Prasad’s editing could have been cleaner; at over two hours long, film fatigue sets in.
The film’s music (also by the multitalented Bhardwaj) is catchy, with African beats and folk songs. The African “tribal” dance sequence is a delight to watch.
Kapur is brilliant as Harry. A notable thespian, he gives a remarkable performance, establishing himself as one of India’s finest actors. The limelight remains on Kapur as he displays his acting prowess by alternating between the ruthless businessman and soft-hearted socialist.
Sharma is good as the defiant, full-of-energy Bijlee. Babbar gives a sincere performance. Khan (who sheds his usual metrosexual image) certainly looks the part of the Haryana village youth but falters when it comes to executing the precise mannerisms and speech. Azmi is wonderful, giving a delightful performance as the wickedly corrupt politician.
Overall, MKBKM is an unconventional film that not only entertains, but also carries a strong social message about land appropriation.
Rating: 7/10
Looking ahead… this week Bollywood fans can look forward to Abbas-Mustan’s action thriller Race 2, with Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Ameesha Patel.
