The word 'Satyagrah' (a strong urge or insistence for truth) was coined by the Father of the Nation of India - Mahatma Gandhi in the nineteenth century as a non-violent means to oppose injustices and wrongs. After using it successfully in apartheid-hit South Africa, he reused it against the colonial rule in India. However in the post-independence (as well as the post-Gandhi) period, this pious term has been grossly misused. Prakash Jha is the latest misuser of it. He has made this movie under the title Satyagrah which is devoid of Satyagrah only but covers blackmailing under the name of mass movement, hero-worship, violence, item song, ridiculous romance, political gimmickry and above all, a hollow and superficial vision of the protagonists towards the desired end.
Prakash Jha (and his lieutenant Anjum Rajabali) has picked up the Lok Pal Bill movement of Anna Hazaare and his team (known as Team Anna in the media) for the story of this movie and forced the incidents of the murder of the honest officer - Satyendra Dubey by the construction mafia with the silent cooperation of the PMO itself, the non-violent Annshan (fasting) of Mahatma Gandhi against the policies of the British rule in India, the Chauri-Chaura incident which led Mahatma Gandhi to call his movement back in 1922 and finally, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi himself into the narrative. He has tried to pack too many things in his 152 minutes long movie leading to exhaustion of the audience who (unfortunately) visited the theatres to watch a hard-hitting political comment as is expected from Prakash Jha.
Prakash Jha has put Amitabh Bachchan in the role of the character akin to Anna Hazaare and Ajay Devgan in that akin to Arvind Kejriwaal. Well, quite contrary to Mahatma Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan is shown as residing in a magnificent mansion and living a highly comfortable (if not luxurious) life. If he is a retired teacher only, how could he afford such a lavish residence and a maid servant too (his son is quite young and not served for as many years in the government job) ? Even the food habits of himself and his family members do not speak of simple living and high thinking. He is highly arrogant (my way or highway approach) which cannot be admired or supported. His movement goes astray and it is not known till the very end whether its objective was achieved or not.
The movie defies logic at several places and the number of holes in the script are more than that in a sieve. It is more an action-cum-emotion packed entertaining drama than the revelation of some truth already not known to the audience. Since it is studded with incidents and twists, the speed of the narrative is quite fast (slackened only by the superfluous romance and the concerned song of Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor). Like the Anna Hazaare movement, he has shown extensive usage of electronic media as well as social media to further the movement ignoring the fact that a mass movement cannot be aroused just by TV and internet. For the most of the participants in such campaigns, it is something like fashion and not something finding its existence from the genuine sentiments in the depth of the heart. Satyagrah has its moments but they are few and far between. For most of its time duration, it appears something superficial whose propagators themselves don't appear to be knowing what's their desired outcome or the alternative system of governance they are aiming at. They are just shouting slogans and cursing the faulty system (plus the individuals occupying the chairs in that).
All the same, it is successful in meeting one objective - entertaining the audience. Perhaps Prakash Jha aims at this objective (culminating in the commercial success of the movie) only now. After Apharan (2005), he seems to have changed his style of filmmaking and lost his uniqueness in that. The climax of the movie is utterly filmy and disappointingly unimpressive.
Technically, this action-packed movie is up to the mark. Prakash Jha has unnecessarily tried to administer a dose of comedy too to the audience through the character of the sycophant of the corrupt minister. Music is okay. Janata Rocks and the title track are according to the mood of the movie. Background score is noisy (at least I felt so). Dialogs are hollow and devoid of genuine punches.
Performance wise talking, Manoj Bajpayee has got a role tailor-made for him and naturally, he is the best performer. Amitabh Bachchan does not look even the shadow of a Gandhian Satyagrahi. He, instead, casts the shadows of his erstwhile angry young man persona (now we can term him as the angry old man). In the context of his son's death, his character can be contrasted with that of him in Mahesh Maanjrekar's Viruddh (2005). Ajay Devgan done justice to his role but there's nothing new in his performance. Arjun Raampaal's character is confused whereas Amrita Rao has not got much scope. Kareena Kapoor's acting is third class and she can very easily count this performance of hers in the five worst performances of her career till date. Her characterization is illogical and her looks are laughable when viewed in the context of the role she is playing.
I recommend Satyagrah as a one time watch to the regular entertainment-seekers because, as said earlier, this is a fast-paced, action-packed entertaining movie. However it's utterly disappointing for Prakash Jha's loyal audience including Jitendra Mathur. Now it's the time to go for Satyagrah and reject his movies.
For whom ? His admirers, obviously.
Prakash Jha (and his lieutenant Anjum Rajabali) has picked up the Lok Pal Bill movement of Anna Hazaare and his team (known as Team Anna in the media) for the story of this movie and forced the incidents of the murder of the honest officer - Satyendra Dubey by the construction mafia with the silent cooperation of the PMO itself, the non-violent Annshan (fasting) of Mahatma Gandhi against the policies of the British rule in India, the Chauri-Chaura incident which led Mahatma Gandhi to call his movement back in 1922 and finally, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi himself into the narrative. He has tried to pack too many things in his 152 minutes long movie leading to exhaustion of the audience who (unfortunately) visited the theatres to watch a hard-hitting political comment as is expected from Prakash Jha.
Prakash Jha has put Amitabh Bachchan in the role of the character akin to Anna Hazaare and Ajay Devgan in that akin to Arvind Kejriwaal. Well, quite contrary to Mahatma Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan is shown as residing in a magnificent mansion and living a highly comfortable (if not luxurious) life. If he is a retired teacher only, how could he afford such a lavish residence and a maid servant too (his son is quite young and not served for as many years in the government job) ? Even the food habits of himself and his family members do not speak of simple living and high thinking. He is highly arrogant (my way or highway approach) which cannot be admired or supported. His movement goes astray and it is not known till the very end whether its objective was achieved or not.
The movie defies logic at several places and the number of holes in the script are more than that in a sieve. It is more an action-cum-emotion packed entertaining drama than the revelation of some truth already not known to the audience. Since it is studded with incidents and twists, the speed of the narrative is quite fast (slackened only by the superfluous romance and the concerned song of Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor). Like the Anna Hazaare movement, he has shown extensive usage of electronic media as well as social media to further the movement ignoring the fact that a mass movement cannot be aroused just by TV and internet. For the most of the participants in such campaigns, it is something like fashion and not something finding its existence from the genuine sentiments in the depth of the heart. Satyagrah has its moments but they are few and far between. For most of its time duration, it appears something superficial whose propagators themselves don't appear to be knowing what's their desired outcome or the alternative system of governance they are aiming at. They are just shouting slogans and cursing the faulty system (plus the individuals occupying the chairs in that).
All the same, it is successful in meeting one objective - entertaining the audience. Perhaps Prakash Jha aims at this objective (culminating in the commercial success of the movie) only now. After Apharan (2005), he seems to have changed his style of filmmaking and lost his uniqueness in that. The climax of the movie is utterly filmy and disappointingly unimpressive.
Technically, this action-packed movie is up to the mark. Prakash Jha has unnecessarily tried to administer a dose of comedy too to the audience through the character of the sycophant of the corrupt minister. Music is okay. Janata Rocks and the title track are according to the mood of the movie. Background score is noisy (at least I felt so). Dialogs are hollow and devoid of genuine punches.
Performance wise talking, Manoj Bajpayee has got a role tailor-made for him and naturally, he is the best performer. Amitabh Bachchan does not look even the shadow of a Gandhian Satyagrahi. He, instead, casts the shadows of his erstwhile angry young man persona (now we can term him as the angry old man). In the context of his son's death, his character can be contrasted with that of him in Mahesh Maanjrekar's Viruddh (2005). Ajay Devgan done justice to his role but there's nothing new in his performance. Arjun Raampaal's character is confused whereas Amrita Rao has not got much scope. Kareena Kapoor's acting is third class and she can very easily count this performance of hers in the five worst performances of her career till date. Her characterization is illogical and her looks are laughable when viewed in the context of the role she is playing.
I recommend Satyagrah as a one time watch to the regular entertainment-seekers because, as said earlier, this is a fast-paced, action-packed entertaining movie. However it's utterly disappointing for Prakash Jha's loyal audience including Jitendra Mathur. Now it's the time to go for Satyagrah and reject his movies.
For whom ? His admirers, obviously.