Review of Satyagraha (2013) by Tanvir M — 11 Dec 2013

Prakash Jha's 'Satyagraha' is a film with lofty ambitions and a great sense of justice, undone ultimately by a severe lack of subtlety and a simplistic understanding of its ultimate denouement.

It is, however, buoyed by even-handed direction and solid performances by a star cast led by Indian acting legend Amitabh Bachchan and featuring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Rampal and a superb Manoj Bajpayee.

Based loosely on the anti-corruption protests spearheaded by Anna Hazare a few years ago, the film tells the story of Dwarka Anand (played with regal restraint by Bachchan) who slaps a corrupt government official, and in doing so unleashes a wave of popular protest.

Devgn plays the capitalist who changes hear to spearhead Anand's campaign, Kapoor Khan a journalist, Rampal a boots-on-the-ground social worker and the chameleonic Bajpayee essays the role of Balraj Singh, a wily amoral politician.

The story and script by Anjum Rajabali, Prakash Jha and Rutvik Oza resonates on many levels, and aims, to a great extent succeeding, to spotlight the corruption so rampant in the system and the countless people it victimizes.

Jha's use of location and especially crowds is impressive, even though he does try to pander to popular taste with a few ill-judged playback songs that don't quite work, given the context. The film wears its ambitions and most everything else squarely on its sleeve, functioning with the sensibility of a slap in the face - which could be just the pick-me-up the system needs.