Review of Aarakshan (2011) by Krishnan V — 11 Aug 2011

Reservation is a very sensitive topic. So, how to make a movie on it? Well, don't make a movie on it, just name the film aarakshan. Prakash Jha plays it safe by degrading the film from a high tension social drama to a run-of-the-mill anti-establishment flick.

The movie started off so well with high voltage exchanges between pro and anti reservation camps. But then, they just stopped talking about it. As simple as that. Still, it takes some guts to attempt on volatile subjects like these.

The actors did well, except for Deepika of course. She just hams it up, just like Katrina did in Rajneeti. I wonder why sensible directors like Jha keep on miscasting in important roles, opting for popular stars instead of resourceful actors.

I loved Saif's casting as a Dalit, btw, not only because he did well, but also because he belongs to the highest classes in the country: his father is a Nawab and his mother is a Brahmin. Talk about irony :).