Aarakshan is a story of 20 reels. Hence for the ones who don’t have time, don’t you even think about it. Well, those who are expecting Aarakshan to be a brilliantly made film on the burning issue of “Reservation”, unfortunately it is not. More than being being based on reservation issue, Aarakshan tackles the issue of ‘commercialisation of education’. It’s actually a fight between my NK Sir and Mahesh Tutorials, if I’m allowed to put it this way. I can sense the vibes of NK Sir in the character of Dr. Prabhakar Anand [Amitabh Bachchan]. It’s a depiction of how corporates are entering a pure and noble profession like teaching and how they’re ruining it.
The story is again very simple without any thrilling twists and turns. There is this old guy named Prabhakar Anand who is a hard-core teacher [in the every sense of the word]. He believes that education can’t and shouldn’t be commercialised in any way. Also he doesn’t thinks that there is anything wrong in providing assistance to the students of backward class. And on the other hand we’ve Mithilesh Singh [Manoj Bajpayee as Anand’s bête noir] who is running a commercial coaching institute without the permission of the college where he teaches and Prabhakar Anand is the Principal of the same. Then there is Deepak Kumar [Saif Ali Khan] who is a Dalit student who is helped a lot by Prabhakar Anand ir-respective of he being from backward class. And we’ve Sushant [Prateik] who is a rich father’s only child who is from upper caste. Others include Purvi [Deepika Padukone as Prabhakar’s daughter], Kavita [Tanvi Azmi as Prabhakar’s wife], Yashpal Sharma [as the milk-man], Baburam Ji [Saurabh Shukla as Education Minister], Anirudh [Darshan Jariwala as STM trustee], Tiwari [Mukesh Tiwari as Inspector] and other typical Prakash Jha’s favourite and repeated cast.
We’ve a decision given by Supreme Court in which 27% reservation is granted to OBC. This creates rift between the backward students [Saif] and the ones from merit [Prateik]. This decision spoils many relations. One out of the context comment by Prabhakar makes him to lose his job, house, respect and alike. He decides to start a tution classes in a Tabela [yes you read it right, Tabela]. This leads to many students leaving the KK Coaching Centre [which is run by Mithilesh Singh] and join him as after all he ‘teaches’ from “heart” and that too for free and to everyone without any differences. Simple! This is the only over the top thing in the film’s story section!
Coming to the title of the movie, I can’t understand why did Mr. Jha thought Aarakshan would be an apt title for the movie. May-be just to garner some publicity I guess. There is no relevance of Aarakshan and reservation. Just that the commercialisation of education is the thing on target, reservation forms a back-drop for this movie to take-off. I loved the background music [by wayne Sharpe] of the starting credits. The very first scene of Saif giving interview on which all this hoopla is created by political parties is actually not a big deal. This scene was quite good and in my senses it had no nuisance as such on which all this drama is created. Rather it was much needed, according to me, in-order to maintain a balance between both the views towards reservation.
Talking about the film over-all, it’s good in few parts, very good in few, and pathetic in few as well. The songs were okayish. Didn’t found the touch of Prasoon Joshi as such. He could have written few gem of the lines given we all know his talent. And for music, Achchha Lagta Hai and Saans Albeli were quite good. But still there is no song in the movie which is worth re-calling once you leave the hall. The track Mauka could have been chopped totally.
Talking about acting, OMG! Amitabh Bachchan has risen above all the criteria you may ever set. I said the same thing while writing the review of BHTB as well and here too I will repeat myself saying that he is mind-blowing and beyond evaluation for a newbie writer like me !! He is above excellence. For Saif, he is learning fast, very fast. Deepika too did justice to her role. The huge disappointment in this cast is Prateik, who was the discovery of JTYJN. But in Aarakshan he appears spaced out beyond recognition, his dialogue delivery is laboured with that English accent and he seems strangely uninvolved in the role. And for others, well they too did good to their respective roles. Tanvi was good as an understanding wife. Missed Ayub Khan.
Mr. Jha has written quite a good dialogues this time. But the most pathetic one was when Pandit’s mother tells Prabhakar that ‘...warna ye suicide kar lega’. I laughed like anything and the rest 11 people [ya only 12 tickets were sold for the house of around 25o capacity] turned and looked at me. I don’t mind that !! I found it funny. Since the time I’ve seen Raajneeti I’ve always maintained that though the knife of Prakash Jha has became more shinier from Gangaajal to Raajneeti, but it has lost it’s sharpness. This is very much evident even in Aarakshan. The movie picks-up fantastically in the first half, but falls down ruthlessly towards the second half and especially in the end. A trend in all the Prakash Jha Production movies [including the ones that he only produced like Dil Dosti, etc and Turning 30].
The confrontation scenes are the real soul of this movie. The one where Saif and Manoj interacts after the former is appointed as junior lecturer and when Manoj tells Mr. Bachchan that ‘aap thay zero, hain zero aur rahenge bhi zero’ are the real soul of the movie for me. And the scene where Mr. Bachchan is shown to be helping Pandit by going beyond the logics was very poor according to me. It was like ‘ye thoda zyada ho gaya boss!’. It was a treat to watch Mr. Bachchan and Manoj ji together sharing screen space after a whole decade. They last appeared together in Aks [if my memory supports me]. Both of them are India’s two of the finest ‘actors’ ever. Though Manoj is in negative role, but still somehow you fall in love with his portrayal. Couple of Mr. Bachchan’s scene reminds you of Mohabbatein [2001]. I still can’t figure out whether he was really dressed well or he pulled off the dresses so elegantly. I’m a huge Bachchan fan. For me it has been a treat to watch my favourite actor in two of the greatest performances back to back [first in BHTB and now in Aarakshan]. The best part of BigB’s dressing was the fall of his Pants and Bandh-galaa’s. Thank God! I no more want to see him with that oxygen drip attached to his mouth and he lying on some hospital bed [KJo, are you listening honey?].
Also one of the highest point of the movie is we get to listen some great dialogues in genuine Hindi after quite a some time. Again Mr. Bachchan steals the show here. Wish other actors too had a bit more command on the language and more than that on the accent. Prakash Jha excels in crowd handling scenes. But the disappointing point was the use of technology in the climax to adjust with the crowd. It would have been better if the scenes of Mr. Bachchan + Manoj Bajpayee and crowds would have been filmed together instead of shooting them alone and then joining them together with the help of technology. The use of Vaishnav Jayathe in the background [or rather as Prabhakar’s theme music] was something very odd for me. My 100rs. Were recovered in just one scene by looking at the expression in BigB’s eyes just before the interval. It was classic! By the way, don’t you guys think BigB’s method as shown in the movie is impractical? Mr. Jha got confused between whether he is making a commercial cinema or a parallel one. This is what happens when corporate enter any damn noble profession. Even the role of Hema Malini was something too wary. Even editing too needed to be bit better. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy disappointed after brilliant ZNMD.
Conclusion- Aarakshan tries to pack in too much into one film, beyond a point it lacks focus since it seems torn between reservations and the overall flaws in our education system, and somewhere past the halfway mark it just seems to go on and on and on [I said in the very beginning that in runs into 20 reels!]. This is a pity because where it’s good, Aarakshan is really good. If ever there was a balanced discussion on the issue of reservations, it is this. Dear protestors, for god’s sake this film is neither anti- nor pro-Dalit. If anything, it’s pro-poor and anti-manipulation-of-the-public-by-politicians. If you look at a balance sheet then, Aarakshan has more going for it than against.
Rating- 2.5*/5*
CBFC certification- U/A [without any cut]
Why to watch- One time watch for a huge cast especially BigB.
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