Covering Bollywood and the Hindi Cinema

Seldom do you come across a movie which from the first frame to its last frame enthralls you and makes you part of the journey which the protagonists entail. Mani Ratnam’s Guru is one such film and a great way to usher in the year 2007.

It is no secret that the film is heavily inspired by Indian industrialist Dhirubhai   Ambani’s rags to riches story even though the makers have gone blue in face denying it. However calling the lead character just a caricature of the great Dhirubhai Ambani would be a gross injustice. Abhishek Bachchan breathes life in the character of Guru Gurukant Desai and makes him an entity and an on screen legend.  

The character of Gurukant Desai is a force to reckon with and kudos to Abhishek Bachchan for pulling it off so beautifully. After the tragedy that was Dhoom 2, the Bachchan Bachua has totally redeemed himself in my eyes and for once and all, will silence his critics. However at times his performance is reminiscent of Amitabh Bachchan in Agneepath which I am sure was not intentional!

Though Guru is Abhishek and Abhishek is Guru, at this point I must mention Aishwarya Rai and Madhavan. Rai has matched Bachchan in every frame and finally we see unbelievable chemistry between the two! From the fiery and rebellious girl to the supportive yet resilient wife, Aishwarya has never looked so stunning and “real”.  Madhavan also makes his presence feel in his small yet pivotal role and is able to hold his own against the towering Abhishek (I don’t just mean that literally!).

So is the movie flawless? No its not and some minor irritants according to me were the songs and Vidya Balan! Don’t get me wrong I love both. However both Balan and the music just slowed the movie down and were completely wasted! As a self-confessed Vidya Balan fan I can’t figure out why she would want to be part of such an insipid and irritating character. The songs were shot beautifully however they were pretty pointless.

So my two cents? Guru is a movie, which captures the ethos of a young village boy who dreams to strike it rich beautifully. The movie is an epic in the true sense and Abhishek is as endearing as a 20-year-old dreamer as a 60-year of shrewd millionaire. The climax and his speech in the end will give you Goosebumps. As an audience you will celebrate Guru’s success and mourn his loses. Ratnam’s direction is taut and refreshing and special mention should also go to Rajiv Menon for the brilliant cinematography and A.R. Rehman for the breath-taking background score. Go and see the movie now and I promise you won’t be disappointed!