“Aarakshan”- the much hyped movie about ‘ Reservation for socially backward class people’-was released yesterday- Friday, 12 August 2011. It’s a gem of a movie! IMHO- in my humble opinion-, it’s not against Dalits- if the dialogues are seen in the context. Neither has it portrayed the rational upper castes in a bad light; again - if the dialogues are seen in the context! Dear movie goers, Grow up! - It’s a commercial movie and it has to give a complete story in just 165 minutes. Besides pandering to the Indian fixation with music, it has to tie all loose ands and preferably end with a happy note; for, it must recover the investment made try to maximize the return to ensure enough green-backs for the next movie and that calls for a comedy! So, weighed with the inherent limitations of a movie of this nature, the director and script writer have done a wonderful balancing act.
It has an interesting star cast. Big B- Amitabh Bachchan- plays the role of Prabhakar Anand- the protagonist. Saif Ali Khan (Deepak Kumar), Deepika Padukone (Poorbi Anand), Manoj Bajpayee (Mithilesh Singh) and Prateik Babbar (Sushant) play their parts with perfection and IMHO this movie is going to be nominated in many categories, for the different annual film festival awards.
Though the movie starts with the ‘reservation’ conundrum, the other real issues- that it addresses- are; the dysfunctional judicial system- in an oblique way, and then ‘the’ real issue is about the menace of unprincipled touts in education sector or in one word- GREED. Though it may appear so, it is not against commercial coaching centers! It tries and succeeds to expose the unethical business in education and running of educational institutions. When Professors run coaching centers in violation of their terms of contracts with their employers- be it a private collage or a government collage; when unprincipled politicians control educational institutions and victimize virtuous professors like Prabhakar Anand; then the protagonist does not accept failure meekly but gives them a taste of his flair by doing a Gandhi!
In the process, quite objectively, he has shown the futility of violence and bland criticism to incite violence. In contrast, the nobility of non-violent constructive work- in the form of running free coaching centre- not only wrests back the dignity and peace of mind of the protagonist it also wins the real power –support of the masses- and facilitates a happy ending!
Delicately it shows how difficult it is to build an institution; whereas, it takes almost no time to destroy one. As violence is looked down upon the original institution is not harmed and this ‘Satyagraha’ paves the paths for creation of another world class institution- a free coaching center for the under-privileged/ academically weak students, which was the life-long dream of the protagonist. That’s the beauty of ‘Satyagraha’ and its time not just Indians but people world over need another lesson on this enabling values so that we would make our future better.
The message is aptly timed. When the entire country is waiting with anticipation and feels cheated on account of high profile scams and the young mass is restive to do something; it shows the right direction! Please remember; looking at the spreading hooliganism in England, the destructive minded people’ have been preaching violent outbursts, which is based on “HATRED”. Our own ‘Anna Hazare’ is going to wage a Satyagraha from 16 august – just 4 days after the release if this movie- at such a critical juncture the movie quite nicely portrays the futility of violence and subtlety of an approach based on “LOVE”.
As it happens, with a commercial flick, it has some strange coincidences and quite diplomatically the movie creates hype about “reservations”. All this happens in the first half, when the wily film maker hooks the audience with some catchy dialogues- both for and against ‘reservations’. Then- in the second half- the movie veers toward fighting greed and in the process unites almost the entire lot of young Turks- both who were for and against ‘reservation’- and the real target shifts to ‘human greed’ and the resultant unprincipled practices. The end is also made in a very agreeable manner and the audience leaves the theater with satisfaction!
The movie in one paragraph:
Despite having proven his merits when Prabhakar- the protagonist- is cast into ignominy, for standing up to principles, he faces the situation squarely and does not give into the lure of violence and destructive impulses. In the face of severe adversity, when the protagonist has to take a call –again- he takes the right call and decides in favor of constructive hard work in the face of very strong provocations. He leaves the star hotel and moves into the milling crowd! He burns the candle from both ends despite his advancing age and ill health and ultimately wins his sweet reward- his wards top the chart and he proves that he still has the Midas touch!
Heralds the coming of Refrom-03 into India:
With subtlety it shows why the affirmative actions are necessary in our country. Beyond that, it shows how inequality cast by the iron cast of casteism be removed. Though not many would have realized; Prakash Jha has highlighted exactly the same approach that Mahatma Gandhi finally settled for: inter-caste marriages!
Affirmative actions- in the form of reservations of jobs and seats in educational institutions etc- has made a small dent on social inequality, which was and still is so inhumane in India. Equity would get a big push when the Gandhian solution- inter-caste marriages- are practiced in a big way.
India has already experienced 2 stages of moral reforms, spread over last one hundred years. The first phase- 1910 to 1950- saw the emergence of the idea of ‘India’ based on the enabling principles of equity, democracy and tolerance. Mahatma Gandhi was the protagonist and chief architect of this phase. He literally bore the blows – both from the British and his chauvinistic countrymen- while painstakingly laying the foundation of this great nation. This period was so profound and rich that literally this phase has sustained the second, for the second phase has witnessed progressive decline in the values and at present it seems it has hit its nadir!
Reforms-02: spanned over the next six decades- say 1950 to 2010:
Besides the constant decline in values and progressive increase in corruption, the most significant reforms of this period are ‘reservations’ and economic empowerment of the common man. Owing to the shortcomings mentioned this period has not yielded the desired result. Nevertheless, this period has succeeded in creating a ‘critical mass’, which would be the bedrock for reforms-03.
Reforms-03:
The third wave of social and moral reforms would be still more profound and the harbingers of this reform would be the progeny of Deepak Kumars (the rising dalit boys) and Poorbi Anands (the idealistic daughters of upper caste social reformers).
The last words:
Hope I’ve explained how this movie scales up to a dizzy moral height and hence I consider it to be one which dwells in a higher pitch. Seldom a commercial movie tries to deliver a contrasting moral message, their main preoccupation being pandering to the soft corners of the majority of the audience. So, here also this movie scores brownie points.
Considering the pitch, performance and subtlety of the messages delivered, on first impulse, I would give the movie 9 out of ten. Well, is it not said that, second thoughts are better! So let me mull over it for some more time and revisit my rating. I may change my mind! And till then bye and wish you a happy week end with “Aarakshan”. :)
Box office results:
Though not a block-buster, this movie did reasonably well and after a month was rated to be a semi-hit in some reviews.
