Review of Mohenjo Daro (2016) by Paras G — 19 Aug 2016

With the tag of Jodha Akbar, Swadesh and Lagaan Ashutosh Govarikar is considered a director who stands out of crowd with his focus on minute details of background, costume, dialogues, music and most importantly the story which works as thread connecting all these things. I expected this to be a journey of new world crafted by my one of favorites Ahutosh Govarikar. I have listened to its songs many number of times before I went to watch this movie. I admire the alien touch provided by master of music, most respectful person in Indian Music, Sir A R Rahman. I live with Indian Cinema because I believe it provides you characters you can empathize with, you live your life with these characters and get inspiration to do some heroic thing in your real life. Bhuvan, Mohan Bhragav are the normal characters who inspire you to be somebody. I expected no less from Mohenjo Daro. I have found the first half satisfying to my high expectations. I thought I was roaming in one of the largest settlement of Indian Valley Civilization. The costumes, background, dialogues, music everything giving the alien touch which is required. Hritik looked heroic, though a bit aged for the character Sarman, Pooja Hegde looked fresh and full of energy. It feels story is being set at a very good pace when Sarman is portrayed as a common hero who does not tolerate any injustice in his newfound dream city Mohenjodaro. he has made friends, succeeded in impressing the girl of his dreams and everything made sense till the interval happens.

After that I never felt it was a ahutosh govarikar movie. He has adopted a pace which tried to take all characters in not so making sense direction. It reflected the confusion in the mind of director on how to present a loosely thought plot with the characters in hand. Scenes were put in haste to just complete the story and there audience has loosen all the connection with any character developed during first half. I still hoped for a strong end but there it disappointed me most with stupidity on heights while deploying physics to create a bridge of boats. Aushutosh still felt nostalgic on last scene of Swadesh so he tried to pull something similar kind here but he failed it completely. After Physics, comes the time of geography. In the start of movie, it is shown as a settlement in 2016 BC in north west of India. In the end Our protagonist named the part of Sindhu as Ganga which made no sense to me. I still recommend the movie as one time watch because of its alien music, good portrayal of Mohenjo Daro city but warns not to expect much of story.