Project Marathwada Review

Expectations

More and more filmmakers are venturing into making films related to social based issues. Right from the women empowerment to Khap Panchayat to many such burning issues, Bollywood is trying out its best to tap the untapped themes. One such issue is of farmer's suicide, which is happening in almost every rural belt of our country. We keep reading stuffs related to this issue, but very few know the whole story about it. Thus, 'Project Marathwada' builds up a decent amount of expectations, especially among all those who love meaningful cinemas and that too with good content attached to it.

Story

'Project Marathwada' is a story of a four journalism students who are assigned to make a project on farmer suicides happening in the country. They accidently bump into Tukaram (Om Puri) who is a poor farmer from a small village. Tukaram, has come to the metro city with loads of letters of all those farmers who killed themselves. Tukaram wants to meet the Chief Minister Manek Rao (Govind Namdeo) related to the farmers suicide issue. Things are not easy as it seems and Tukaram understands that this will not work, thus he decides to give away his own life. The students somehow manage to save him and sets on a mission of making the whole world hear Tukaram's point of view.

The 'Glitz' Factor

The story has a good theme and a burning social issue attached to it. The one liner concept is brilliant, which gets partly ruined due to weak narration. Every scene involving Om Puri is of top notch and works as a strong point of the film. His message in the climax defies the film. The cinematography is of top notch. Background music works in the favour of the film. The director duo tries to bring up a power packed film in terms of its content and presents it in an interesting manner. Om Puri is outstanding in his role. Do check out his minute mannerisms featuring his accent, body language along with fluent usage of Marathi language. He carries the whole film on his shoulders. Dalip Tahil and Govind Namdeo are fine in their small roles. Seema Biswas has a small but powerful role.

The 'Non-Glitz' Factor

The story takes its own sweet time to come on the right track. The discussion between the students is stretched followed by the repetitive scenes. These scenes dilute the intensity of the film. The college student's side tracks fades out the hardship of Tukaram and the main content of the film. A more experience director would had done wonders with this concept. The whole treatment is lethargic and slow. There are many unwanted scenes which fails to go with the film. It seemed like the director did not have any command over the flow of the film. The topic should have been more elaborated and shown in full detail.

Final 'Glitz'

'Project Marathwada' has a good message, but with mild impact. It fails to get registered in your mind and soul.