One thing about watching Anurag Kashyap film is that you are curious to know what he has done and how. Kashyap typically walks a line that is not the norm - be it the content he dabbles in or the way he portrays the life of his characters.
Gulal was the only film, whose rushes I had seen years ago, before he had made Dev-D, when he had come to pitch it to E-City Films. The movie was 70% complete as per the director and he wanted money to complete the film.
There was no color correction. We had seen some scenes (not the entire 70%) and one thing which always comes out of his films - strong performances. Piyush Mishra with his song and antics looked a captivating figure and one could see that though kind of raw it seemed quite unique.
Some friends had raved about it, some pals weren't so impressed. From what I recall the reviews were either at top or...bottom. Personally I have never been blown by his friends, though I have looked forward to his flicks. Black Friday was a good one, so was Dev-D and I even found No Smoking interesting.
I was also fortunate to see his first, Paanch, which was effective in its own way. A very niche film that was fueling with violence.
The same things hold to an extent in Gulal. It's about politics, about power, also about love and violence is a chief part of it. It is a niche film too, though it had the potential to transcend. It would be an interesting question - why it is not?
The film is a story of a timid, naive student who comes to a town in Rajasthan and gets sucked into the politics of a group of Rajputs who seek independence. The ambition for power also ensnares him in love, which eventually wrecks every thing for almost every one.
It is an interesting topic, a brave terrain to walk into, which Kashyap regularly gets into. He does a good job of representing the environment, and even completing an effective journey in terms of being with the story.
However, as he does that, he tends to spread himself thin by dabbling into too many point of views. With fast-paced editing and with lot of other 'angles', it seems there is an opportunity lost to build this into a great tale.
The 'angle' of the mad brother of the Senapati, played by Piyush Mishra, commenting on the side courtesy his rants and songs is a nice thing, and is a great window to watch the events. The other angle of people wearing masks that you keep encountering throughout the film is a stylistic device that though not intrusive doesn't seem to do much.
The bane of the film tends to be what is considered Kashyap's strength - his dialogues. At times they seem too cute for effect, which takes the effect out of the telling.
However, it has to be said, even in trying to tell a complex story, there are a lot of silent moments that tend to grip you. Over-all the film holds you but somehow one fails to care for the characters. It walks into areas where you can be empathetic but somehow it falls short - be it Dilip Singh (the protagonist,) Banaa (Kay Kay) or Kiran (Dilip's lover.)
Yet...there are enough moments when you like the guys and there are many like Ransa or Baati (Deepak Dobriyal) since their caring sides have been revealed.
Kashyap also portrays a very interesting feminine side - a woman (teacher) who is raped and lives her existence, Kiran who is an illegitimate Rajput, whose brother (Aditya Srivastava) aspires to be the Senapati / Banaa; Kiran is a power-seeker, who can sleep around for her benefit, yet..she is governed by her brother. Then there is Madhuri (Mahi Gill) the parlor girl, who is the mistress of Banaa and...Banna's wife (Jyoti Dogra.)
The acting as expected from a Kashyap film is extremely good over-all. But in attempting to tell too much, despite an editing that is on the quick-side (which is not necessarily a strength), and decent camerwork plus lighting, the story involves you but...somehow fails too connect greatly with the characters.
Though again...it's a solid line walked by Kashyap, where he colors himself in the milieu of a unique place and tries to tell a unique tale.
Writers: Raj Singh Chaudhary, Anurag Kashyap
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Rating ***
[Max Rating ****]
[Viewed on Mac courtesy a dvd on 12th Nov, 2009 at Langford Town, Bangalore]
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