Shanghai: Movie Review



Bollywood Directors are giving new Dimensions to Indian Cinema by delivering Pieces like Shanghai. And this time Dibakar Banerjee’s has done it too. Although It’s an adaptation of 'Z' (A 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, based on the 1966 novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos.), but the way it has been molded into Indian Political system is really commendable. It’s a political thriller, in which assassination of Dr. Ahemadi (Prosenjit Chatterji) turns the city of Bharatnagar into a boiling cauldron.
It portrays the bitter truth of land Grabbing System by Indian and Foreign MNC, with complete government support, in the name of development. So anyone who tries to stand against that system and speaks for the people, whose lands are being taken away from them without proper compensation, is bound to be assassinated.
The movie took it pace when enquiry commission is set up to investigate the real cause of death which was portrayed as an Accident. Abhay Deol, as an IAS officer Krishnan who initially was bouncing between the government pressure and truth, finally took the right side after he found new evidences related to the assassination, taking his career into Jeopardy.
Emraan Hashmi as Jogi, who is having a small scale photography business has indeed delivered one of his best performance. He is shown as normal person who is also enjoying the political show until his boss was killed while trying to provide the evidence against the assassination.
The lyrics of each of the songs are bold enough to stay in mind for some time. The songs talk about how bad things are and how our country is infected with dirty politics but still we praise about it.
While the movie depicts the depressing reality of Indian political system it also gives us a ray of hope that there are some people at that higher hierarchy who are concerned with condition of poor people and can fight for Justice. Though it’s very rare to find such persons as they end up being assassinated too.
It’s a power–thirsty nation who has the most corrupted politicians, trying to make us believe that they can create a Shanghai out of a small place like Bharatnagar, but they won’t let us know that how many lives has to be taken to achieve that. There is a Speech by Dr. Ahemadi in the movie which says that the same people will be seen as guards of the malls whose houses or lands are taken away from them in the name of development.
Overall, it’s a worth watch and also for the Movie freaks from other parts of the world, don’t let the language bound you from watching good Movies. Well for me at least it doesn’t’. I keep watching good movies, no matter what in what language they are (subtitles rocks.J ). So I’ll be happy if you can share some good foreign language titles.

No comments: