Sarkar Raj - Review

How would you like it if I wrote everything in bold ? I mean EVERYTHING. Had technology allowed it, I'd even add some jarring background score to it - Govinda Govinda Govinda Govinda Govinda Govinda...

That would be my primary peeve against the movie Sarkar Raj. A movie runs on a plot. When it depicts an interaction, the actors occasionally get a chance to twist their line to create a stunning scene. Some of these lines end up engulfing the scene, creating poignant quotes. Like Kramer saying "I am out." in Seinfeld, allegedly the funniest line in sitcom history. Or a more kindred Michael Corleone to Sonny - "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business."

'Aap Idli Khaaiye...Idli Sambhar...Accha hai' doesn't count as a powerful line! Even if it is mouthed by BigB in his throaty style. It doesn't work the other way around. You can't cook up a dialogue, add visuals, music and force it to have an effect.

The movie start big with many such scenes. It runs well till the end, with a quick pace and adequate twists and shocks. In the last 15 odd minutes RGV lost steam. Thats when I guess he told his assistant - Abe yaaaaar.... bas narrate karke khatam karo...

BigB does a great job, carrying the same composure and weight from the prequel Sarkar. Whereas Abhishek Bachchan, though in character, looks perennially grouchy. He smiles exactly once in the whole movie and his mood varies from one shade of anger to another. And except for the Bachchan boys, all the anciliary characters - including Aishwarya Rai, her dad, the Gujrati middleman Vohra, the hitman all have received shallow character sketches. They enunciate repetitive one-liners to emphasize the reason for their existence.

Aishwarya Rai looks plastic in the movie - shedding uniformly spaced, uniformly sized, singular tears at sporadic moments in the movie. Jeans, combed back hair and vougish shades establish her as the Gori Mam. 'Ye project mere liye bahut important hai' is her line - an instant passport for gelling with the Nagre family.

Her dad, the evil businessman, as contrasted with the Nagres hams the line 'I am only interested in profit' and gleams in his upscale clothing. Profit ?? Oooh...bad man...very bad man.

Vohra is an important player in the political jigsaw. He hums songs and displays his crooked teeth instead of finishing his sentences. The hitman sports a glove. And he chooses not to speak. Thats it! Bechaara...

Majority of actors in the movie have a beard, the prickly ends delighting the sepia toned cinematography (The only exception would be Aishwarya Rai!). Plenty of scenes are dark, with shafts of streaming light illuminating whom they please - from the grouchy eyes of Abhishek Bachchan to Aishwarya Rai's weeping countenance.

Despite all its drawbacks, Sarkar Raj does have a strong grounded storyline. In real life we have witnessed violent agitations in Singur and Nandigram for business investments and land acquisitions. The movie's engrossing plot splays the politics of it all.

Sarkar Raj is not even close to RGV's classic movies - like Kaun or Company. But its worth a watch if you are willing to forgive the sins above. Lets hope his next movie Contract is refreshing.

* Screenshots from the official Eros Trailer