Satyagraha Review

What is it all about?

Certainly Big B and Ajay Devgn are the most amazing talents in our industry.. `Satyagraha' proves that..

The towering presence and performance of Big B and Ajay Devgn who give their best in this film saves `Satyagraha' from the haunting demons of Prakash Jha's previous films in this trilogy to a certain extent.  `Rajneeti' suffered from the human drama getting lost in the political and in `Aarakshan' the political drama got lost in the human making the second half an altogether different film..

`Satyagraha' which is designed around the scams and sheer hopelessness of the state we are in gets all its best moments by the tremendous emotional lift in the human drama between Big B and Ajay Devgn though a proper balance with its political content or statement as film was the need of the hour in this Prakash Jha's cinematic outcry.

The Story

Prakash Jha and Anjum Rajabali include everything that happens around us that disturbs the aam admi from scams, the Anna Hazare movement, Lok Pal Bill, killing of whistle blowers etc.. touches the issue but fails to make the audience feel for the same..

Dwarka Anand (Amitabh Bachchan) is a true gandhian by heart. Manav (Ajay Devgn) is a close friend of Dwarka Anand's son Akhilesh (Indraneil Sengupta) who is an engineer. Manav has capitalist ideologies which doesn,t go well with Dwarka Anand but still his camaraderie with Akhilesh is intact. One day Akhilesh dies.  Minister Balram Singh (Manoj Bajpai) announces compensation. Akhilesh's wife Sumitra (Amrita Rao) struggles to get the compensation as she refuses to bribe the government officials. An angry gets into an argument with the officer in charge and slaps him. Dwarka Anand is imprisoned.

Manav starts a campaign ala Anna Hazare to free him, using social media, roping in the local youth leader Arjun Singh (Arjun Rampal) and television journalist Yasmin (Kareena Kapoor). Will the government (read the audience) listen..

What to look out for

Prakash Jha shows his brilliance in those emotional packed scenes in the film that are stand alone.. Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn are superbly terrific.. together they give `Satyagraha' its best moments which are highly emotional certifying their unmatched acting brilliance.. the scene where Big B silently watches Ajay Devgn in grief over the death of Akhilesh is the best emotional moment coming out from Indian cinema in recent times.. Absolutely brilliant..

Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor confrontation scenes are deftly handled.. be it the kiss episode or the disagreement over the political support for the movement..

Satyagraha belongs to Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.. where the magnificent Big B is such a respectful delight to watch. There's no one who could have given such justice, grace, honor to this role.  Dwarka Anand has all the possibility to end up as Amitabh Bachchan's most accomplished work that will make his followers proud.. What talent..Destined for awards this year.. its simply amazing to see how well he uses his trademark deep baritone voice to such great effect.. be it the outburst at the government office or during his fasting days during the end in the movie.. Truly invincible.

Ajay Devgn is a superbly versatile talent we all know..  but here the actor in Ajay Devgn very strikingly improves himself and adds a respectful repertoire to his distinguished acting career.. Ajay Devgn is so easy in this tough role, his poise, his voice as Manav who transforms from a telecom tycoon to a crusader against the system deserves all the applause from all the corners.. sheer brilliance.

Kareena Kapoor is fantastic as the firebrand television journo.. after `Chameli', Jab We Met, `Heroine', `Satyagraha' is her valuable possession as an actress.

Arjun Rampal is fantastic his personality and body language adds to the impact..

Manoj Bajpayee is enjoyably cruel, wicked which will make the audience love to hate him and that's not a mean achievement at all..

Amrita Rao shines in a meaty role and proves herself as an actress once again. .

Indraneil Sengupta as Akhilesh is good.. Vipin Sharma as the opposition leader is wonderful.

Indian Ocean, Salim Suleiman music pumps up the momentum.. Janta Rocks and of course Raghupati raghav, raja ram written by Prasson Joshi successfully creates the empathy with chorus..

What not

Although Big B and Ajay Devgn save the film with their acting heroics.. Praksh Jha disappoints the `aam aadmi (read the general audience) with its take on the India and its political state. He wonderfully executes the emotional bonding amongst the characters when they speak with one another but strangely when they address the common man as crusaders the impact is dull.. Prakash Jha and his writer and Anjum Rajabali touch the issue but fails to make it feel the way it should. As a filmmaker and writer they rise to the occasion but somehow couldn't make the spectator arise in this hyped political spectacular that has the B-town most amazing talents coming together for a cause which refuses to go in depth and for the required effect..

Conclusion: `Satyagraha' the hyped political cinematic outcry from Prakash Jha ironically even after getting a full hearted emotional kick by Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn still ends up as a half-hearted exercise in the filmmakers on screen political obsession.. If it weren't for the clout of Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn, `Satyagraha' would be nothing more than a DVD feature on the Anna Hazare movement which the `Kejriwals' in you might endorse leaving the aam junta baring Big B and Ajay Devgn fans in the same frustrating remorse we are in..

 Rating ***