What’s the best Satyagraha – to preach or practice?

By Devaki Parthasarathy reviews an old movie of Ajay Devgan, ‘Satyagraha’…

Yep!!! That’s right I watched an old movie today and was surprised with the quality of this film that somehow went unwatched by me”¦ but not writing about it, would be a bigger crime.

Not much unlike Aarakshan, Satyagraha weaves together urban legends of corruption, encompassing corporate lobbyists to murdered engineers. Bringing together the Non co-operation movement in Chauri Chaura with the more recent Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Andolan, the movie takes a real issue – corruption – to reel life, fusing fact with fiction with finesse.

Beautifully picked stars performing to their best, the film has Devgn as its strong body while Amitabh – gaunt in grief, moving in fortitude – is its soul. But it is Manoj Bajpai’s character – the home minister of a central Indian state –  that is, surprisingly, the most nuanced, most honestly written, and most accurately depicted in the ensemble. “All our lives”, he says, “a politician works to earn his five years in office. Isn’t it his right to reap the benefits when he finally gets there?” Every dialogue in the film leaves you thinking. Even the lyrics. “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram; Uthkar karne hain kuchh kaam”

There’s a shot in Satyagraha – a rainbow glimmering for a second between jets of water pounding protestors – which typifies this film. Satyagraha deserves an extra half-star for capturing corruption from root to branch – a government babu complains, “Yahan toh table ka bhi bhaada dena padta hai”. Absolutely wowed out when one leaves wondering if when corruption erupts, what’s the best satyagraha – to preach or practice?

DeeScore: 4.5/5

Follow Devaki Parthasarathy on her blog:https://dhwaney.wordpress.com