Sarkar Raj - it's make or break for Ramu

I have been a great fan of Ram Gopal Verma ever since I saw Satya. But who would ever say that the maker of films like Satya, Company, Sarkar could make films like Darna Zaroori Hai and (yes you guessed it) Aag. Well Ramu ke liye darna zaroori tha kyonki uski lagayee aag use hi jalane walee thee. And that is why I say Sarkar Raj is a make or break movie for Ramu, at least in my books.

Coming to the very well publicised movie now, the first thing that struck me was the LOUD background score. What is it with Ramu and loud background scores? It becomes gut wrenching at times - as if Ramu tries to force the emotion or mood into the audience. But it has only added to the movie.

I do not think I even need to comment on the performances of the Bachchan family members - they were just fabulous in the movie and so were the other actors. In the old 'Nagre' family, no one else has any role to play except Subhash and Shankar. The movie starts with Shankar taking the reigns in his own hand and Subhash being in a semi-retired state. It is about how Shankar tries to fight for and achieve what he feels is right (echoing Subhash's ideology there).

There are a lot of twists in the plot. In the first half when you start feeling comfortable and start predicting the plot, a bomb blast will shake you. In the second half, when you feel that you know what is going to happen next, you will be shot at point-blank range. This is where Subhash takes centre stage. To top it all is Big B's rendition of the definition of politics in the climax of the movie.

Now, coming to what I didn't like in the movie. There were actually two things. First, Supriya Pathak Kapoor - for the fabulous actor she is - deserved a better treatment in terms of reel space. Second, the end was a little lengthy for my liking. I thought it also slowed down the pace of the movie. I felt it mellowed the impact that Ramu had succeeded in creating till that point in the movie.

I have deliberately tried not to give anything away on the plot, even at the cost of this post looking childish because my friends are yet to watch the movie and I do not want to spoil their fun. I am no film critic, simply because I am not qualified for the job. I write of what I feel from the audience point of view, as I see it from the eyes of a layman who knows nothing of film making.

My verdict on Ramu: I think he has re-discovered himself.

My rating of the film: 3.5/5

PS: Would have given 4 but have kept the 0.5 to myself in anticipation of many more fabulous films from Ramu's Factory.

-CK-