Andhra Pradesh

This `reality show' stings

SOME PUNCH: Ajay Devgan and Nana Patekar in `Apaharan'.

Apaharan (Hindi)

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Nana Patekar, Mohan Agashe, Bipasha Basu

Director: Prakash Jha

He is not a flawless man. Nor are his films a work of genius - they depict the reckless passion, the overweening honesty of man. The gentle guy answering to the name of Prakash Jha who once gave us "Hip Hip Hurray" now dabbles in politics of cinema. He comes up with films that mirror the modern-day society where unprovoked aggression is often not an exception, where money changes people just as often as it changes hands. His "Apaharan" is an addition to the book he opened with "Gangajal".

Raj in Bihar

The film has all that Jha could have aspired for in the first few frames - his Bihar is not too far removed from the State depicted in our media. There are kidnappings, there are palms to be greased for a Government job, there are top cops who hobnob with criminals and there are parties who protect the guilty. And of course, there are guys in jail who run a parallel empire, even stepping out once in a while to settle scores, before quietly heading back to the bastion! Jha packs in all with a straight-for-the-jugular approach. All that is in the first half, bringing with it a higher level of expectations for the next one. Not to be. Jha suddenly loses direction, and a film that is taut with barely an inch extra in the first half, suddenly becomes a bit of a drag. There is even an item number thrown in. Yes, Jha does retrieve a bit of the lost ground but ends up with a film that falls short of its potential. Still, in this season of silly jokes and juvenile dances, do take time out to watch "Apaharan".

Duo shines

It scores with the subject, as indeed with the performances of Nana Patekar and Ajay Devgan. The former as Tabrez, a politician-criminal - interchangeable - shows the spirit that has carried him from "Ankush" to this one. Yes, Devgan has done all this in the past and does it one more time with the confidence of a man knowing what is expected of him. There is Bipasha Basu too, de-glamourised in a sari. She comes on the screen and departs before one can blink. Mohan Agashe, as a Gandhian, leaves his imprint. Did Santosh Mandal, the editor of this film, go on leave? He reduced a possibly must-see film to just a watchable one.

ZIYA US SALAM

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