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Title: The Royal Guard (2007)
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| Credited cast: | |||
| Amitabh Bachchan | ... | Eklavya | |
| Saif Ali Khan | ... | Prince Harshwardhan | |
| Sanjay Dutt | ... | DSP Pannalal Chohaar | |
| Vidya Balan | ... | Rajeshwari / 'Rajjo' | |
| Jackie Shroff | ... | Jyotiwardhan | |
| Boman Irani | ... | King Jaywardhan | |
| Jimmy Sheirgill | ... | Udaywardhan (as Jimmy Shergill) | |
| Raima Sen | ... | Princess Nandini | |
| Sharmila Tagore | ... | Queen Suhasinidevi | |
| Parikshit Sahni | ... | Omkar Singh | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Adhir Bhat | ... | Pedicurist (as Adhir Bhatt) | |
| Swanand Kirkire | ... | Constable | |
It has been chronicled in the Geeta that Eklavya wanted to be Sage Dronacharya's disciple in order to excel at bow and arrow shooting, but was refused because of his low caste. He decided to teach himself, and did excel to such an extent that Dronacharya felt threatened that he would beat his ace disciple, Arjun, so he asked Eklavya for his fee - his right thumb, which Eklavya dutifully cut off and presented it to his Guru. Now in modern India, Nishab, whose father was Eklavya, who gave his life trying to protect his master, has now been re-named Eklavya himself, and has been entrusted to guard the lives of Rana Jaywardhan, Ranimaa Suhasinidevi, and their children, Harsh and Nandini, will be called upon to pay the ultimate price, after he learns that his master, the Rana, has been killed. Eklavya, who also carries a dark family secret, slays the two assailants of the Rana, but then in the process also finds out that th! e one who hired them is his very own son. What will prevail - ... Written by rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
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Eklavya certainly does not do justice to the creation with such great actors of current era. The problem is lack of entertainment, which is consistently absent in failed movies of VV Chopra '1947 A love story', 'Mission Kashmir', 'Parineeta'. May be this is the reason these movies do not do any good on box office. But still it is hard to say that the movies were bad. These movies provide a very less entertainment.
Eklavya too lacks entertainment. Moreover it fails to take best out of the actors. It also does not make a clear picture of what the director wants to convey. I guess introduction of unnecessary characters has killed the main theme. The characters of Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani and Vidya Balan has very limited role which do not do any justice to the acting skills of these good actors.
The movie is really good for the eyes. One thing in which VV Chopra has scored point is the environment making. The sketch of rural India is very effective. The big palace, its surrounding, the entire town and also the dessert fits perfectly to the theme, and there is no issue there. The music is also matching with this environment and soothing to the ear.
All the actors have done a good job. You can not think any other person in the role of Eklavya other than Amitabh Bachhan. This man do not need dialogs to talk. Saif has also given full justice to his character. Audience can get his emotions and can find the battle he is playing with himself, not knowing what decision is right or wrong. Jackey Shroff and Jim Shergill have done decent in their negative characters. Others though have very limited roles has done their best and fits the characters that they have done.
The unrealistic and larger than life picture of main character is another weak point. The scene where Amitabh shows his aiming and concentration skills was unnecessary, and takes the movie on the fairy tale path. Not only this, but again many other scenes should have been shortened in length. This is what makes the movie boring.
I feel that if VV looks at his flop films, he himself will understand the problem. The movie is more than the main path Bollywood movie, takes the path of the art movie. So it dangles in between this, and at the end, ends nowhere.