Satyagraha- The revolution has begun!
Prakash Jha’s ‘Satyagraha’ is the story of a son who yearns for a father. Of a father, who grieves for his lost son. Of a young woman who fights so hard with life that she has forgotten to love. Of an ambitious rabble-rouser, for whom action is the knee-jerk mantra.
It is the story of how these four discover one another, and come together to raise hell, shaking the powers that be to their very roots!
But, Satyagraha is also the story of an influential power-hungry despot who will stop at nothing to destroy them.
The story revolves around Dwarka Anand (Amitabh Bachchan), a retired teacher, is an idealistic man, somewhere in the heartland of India. He is a satyavadi and believes that one should give back to the society, the country, all they have given to us.
His son Akhilesh is an civil engineer who dream is to build the best fly over in the country. Akhilesh’s friend Manav (Ajay Devgan) has come to stay at their place. Manav is an ambitious capitalist, and the retired school teacher is averse to this youth’s capitalist dreams…
Akhilesh dies in an accident. The Home Minister of the state (Manoj Bajpai) announces an amount of compensation of Rs 25 Lakhs to his bereaved family. His wife Sumitra (Amrita Rao) wants to set up a local school in her city, gets sick of her visits to the collector’s office to collect the amount. Dwarka Anand visits the Collector’s office, and is incensed with this laid back attitude. The old man ends up as him slapping the Collector.
Immediately Dwarka Anand is arrested and is imprisoned. Sumitra sends SOS to her Manav bhaiya, who rushes to the city and starts a campaign to free Dwarka Anand, using social media, also with the help of local leader Arjun Singh (Arjun Rampal) and television journalist Yasmin Ahmed’s (Kareena Kapoor) support.
Thus begins the revolution.
The song “Raske Bhare Tore Naina” is picturised very well and appears a simply realistic romantic number. The other noteworthy numbers being the title number, the item number Aiya Ji, and the ever green Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.
We can see explosive performance from Manoj Bajpayee and one of the finest performances of his life from Amitabh Bachchan. He isn’t loud, neither does he overact nor is his character overtly dramatized. It is Amitabh Bachchan as the ordinary retired senior citizen, with simple, truthful and the attitude of changing the corruption in the system. His role is similar to the real life fight against corruption of Anna Hazare.
Ajay Devgn fails to convince as the capitalist who gives up his empire of 5,000 crores in a single stroke. His romance with Kareena Kapoor Khan lacks the chemistry.
Arjun Rampal is fine, Amrita Rao and Kareena Kapoor are just okay, but overall the film belongs to our megastar Amitabh Bachchan.
Satyagraha reflects the anger, restlessness and frustration of the masses against corruption, against the degrading moral values of our nation.
It is an awakening for the youth of today. A message that’s prominently clear is that if you want to bring a change in the system, you have to join the revolution.
Satyagraha is an engrossing drama that the viewer can easily relate with the burning issues of present times.
Cast
Amitabh Bachchan as Dwarka Anand, retired school teacher
Ajay Devgn as Manav Raghvendra
Kareena Kapoor as Yasmin Ahmed – Television newsreporter
Manoj Bajpayee as the Home Minister
Arjun Rampal as the local leader
Indraneil Sengupta – Akhilesh Dwarka Anand
Amrita Rao as Sumitra (Akhilesh’s wife)
Girish Sahdev as the Collector
Mugdha Godse
Credits:
Banner – Utv Motion Pictures, Prakash Jha Productions
Produced by Prakash Jha, Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Director – Prakash Jha
Story Writers / Screenplay – Prakash Jha, Anjum Rajabali
Music – Salim – Sulaiman, Aadesh Shrivastav, Meet Bros Anjan Ankit, Indian Ocean
Lyricist – Prasoon Joshi
Editor – Santosh Mandal
Cinematography – Sachin Krishn
Action – Abbas Ali Moghul
Sound – Rakesh Ranjan
Choreographers – Jayesh Pradhan
Costume Designer – Priyanka Mundada
