"Jab Dill Saand ho, to har ladki Bhains nazar aati hain", these are the words of a drunk Mandola 30 mins in to "Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola" to a pink wearing Navnit Nishant. By now you have already fallen head over heels in love with Haria Mandola's (Pankaj Kapur) character and his twin personality. One when he is Sober and a fierce Business Man who dreams of converting the huge and fertile land of his village into Factories, Housing Complexes and Malls and the other when Mandola is drunk, turning into to big hearted village caring philanthropist, encouraging the villager to do mutiny against himself.
This is the latest offering of the immensely talented Vishal Bhardawaj and this one totally belongs to Mandola (Pankaj Kapur). Mandola who is father of Bijlee Mandola (Anushka Sharma) and employer of Matru (Imran Khan), whose father had taken 1.5 lacs loan to send Matru to study law and now job of Matru is to ensure that Mandola does not get drunk and self distruct. The movie opens with a Limo being rammed into a desi theka for refuisng Mandola a crate of his favourite Gulabo Brand whiskey on a dry day and ends up revolving around Gulabo (the whiskey bottle and a pink buffalo). The whole metaphor of the pink buffalo has been used beautifully by Vishal Bhardwaj to create some mind blowing hilarious scenes throughout the movie.
The story is focused around the sale of the fertile land of the farmers of Mandola Village (named after the richest person of the Village) to be converted into Factories and Malls, and a state Politician is an equal partner in to this scam. The Politician (Shabana Azmi) has the desire to marry her Son Badal (Arya Babbar) with Bijlee to gather enough clout using Mandola's money so that she can get entry into National Politics from the current State politics. There is the character of Mao (secret identity of Matru) who is trying to get the villagers to fight for their rights and stand up against the current political regime and money power of Mandola. Its the concept about land and farmers and how farmers are pushed to a corner to sell off their lands to government, who in turn sell the same to rich builders for hefty profit sharing. A topic very much in focus a few years back with the Tata Nano plant incident in Bengal or the agitation by villagers who sold their land for the Delhi Agra Yamuna Express way. Vishal Bhardawaj has been able to give a very comic turn this whole serious situation, Simple story told with a lot of heart and thought.
There are enough sequences in the movie which are a trademark of Vishal Bhardawaj and leave you big time laughing and smiling. He has also touched a cord with the viewers to show the plight of the poor farmers and how they get arm twisted easily by the rich and those in Power. There is a sequence where Mandola is explaining his dream to Shabana Azmi and the whole fertile land starts to get converted into Factories and Malls and housing complexes, pollution and how the money paid to workers in factory is taken back via sale in the malls. The whole sequence leaves you spell bound on what is so evidently happening all around us, but we have never stopped for a minute and look at it the way Vishal Bhardawaj has shown. Its is a scary picture that comes out of that scene, and makes you think what world are we leaving for our future generations.
Smart dialogues are consistent throughout the movie. An aircraft scene where Matru and a completely drunk Mandola end up flying a glider and then jumping off it, as Mandola has learnt how to take off but has no idea how to land it. Another one in which Shabana Azmi is raising a toast to her victory over the farmers (who sign off their lands to the Govt) by saying "Ab dilli door nahin, Kursiya". With Kursiya being a replacement of Cheers (Chairs) but a metphor for the seat of Power that she is targetting in Delhi. Another one in which Mandola is holding two bottles of Whiskey and has to give one to Matru, he asks him to take the one from left hand as he is a Mao (a leftist). The movie also has Gulabo, a pink colored buffalo whom Mandola keeps seeing as part of Withdrawl symptoms while he is trying to leave whiskey. There is an African tribe that badal has brought as a gift to Bijlee, though they could have been done without.
On performances, this one is for Pankaj Kapur, his performance of a drunkard has no parallel in cinema as yet. Simply mind-blowing. Till the time he is on screen, the movie remains interesting. Imran Khan and Anushka get noticed only in scenes when they are with Mandola, otherwise there performance is ordinary., though Imran's looks for the part are apt and very well suited. Shabana Azmi as a villainous Politician is brilliant. Music is ordinary and the other cast and crew are there for support and that is what they have done. Special mention is due for Gulabo, the Pink Buffalo, the way the buffalo smiles at Mandola, teasing him and inviting him to come back to his loving Gulabo, whom is craves so badly is simply hilarious and comical though very simplistic.
There is'nt enough in the story, and the movie does kind of slack for around 20-25 mins in the beginning of the Second half, but again gains momentum with Pankaj Kapur coming back and lifting the whole script with his performance. The climax seems a bit hush hush, and could have been handled a bit better with more acrobats from Mandola. Having said that, the movie has more than enough moments to get you laughing and thinking of the simplicity and the brilliance of this director, Vishal Bhardawaj.
Overall, Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola is a must watch. Whether you are a fan of Vishal Bhardawaj or not, this one has to be watched for what will surely be the best Drunkard depiction ever performed by any one in the history of cinema! Hats off to Mandola, kamaal kar diya Penchoo Penchoo!!
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