Starring | Amrita Rao, Ravi Kishan, Shreyas Talpade |
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Music | Shantanu Moitra |
Director | Shyam Benegal |
Producer | Ronnie Screwvala |
Year | 2008 |
Appositely mirthful, surprisingly sweet, Welcome to Sajjanpur is one more trenchant piece of work from ace auteur Shyam Benegal. This flick isn't as appealing as worthy to be entitled 'The most dramatic comedy milieu'. It's not just about penning script inclusive of drollery aspects, but has something to a greater extent. Shyam Benegal depicts the present scenario of certain places of coetaneous rural Indian. Stiffly, Shyam spells out the satirical scenario of rural areas like Sajjanpur, where light of resurgence has been thrown people dwelling there. Still the same old superstitious beliefs, class ideologies, pathetic situations of widows, power blackouts and more havoc are prevalent.
Candidly, this film instigates us of far-famed television series Malgudi Days that doesn't fade away from our memories. Much likewise in its motif, Welcome to Sajjanpur has congruous characters of its own sort: a young lad dreaming to be a novelist but posing as letter writer, an intriguing eunuch, a despaired housewife missing her husband, a frustrated army man, a stupid entity seeking for power and that isn't the end. The long queue of unique characters is more and most makes you reflect them with real life hoi pollois.
Not so complicated in its theme, the film is so dewy-eyed with more enjoyable parts narrated with a blend of drama and humor. Shyam Benegal churning out the best exceptional flicks with substantial themes proves of his ability on commercial aspects on the pars. The film has nothing indeed to do with unique ideas, but what makes the film so especial are the personations contrived by auteur. With Bollywood films drenched with bloodbath and profane storylines, Sajjanpur welcomes you for a different tour of a great alleviation as it doesn't carry any of these attributes.
Mahadev (Shreyas Talpade) happens to be the lonesome educated person in the village of Sajjanpur. Dreams about turning into a novelist, but fate let him to pose as letter-writer for all the villagers. Well, you have his perfect ethics of professionalism revealed where he doesn't use ball pens, but only ink pens. But Mahadev doesn't get himself ceased with it, for he pens the most commendable street plays. But, he doesn't want to get stuck up with unwanted hurdles and so remains assertive to a local political ruffian Ram Singh (Yaspal Sharma). Indeed, Ram Singh keeps seeking his help in penning letters of sulfurous words. Sooner, Mahadev realizes of his scrupulous potential of villagers dependent on him. It's now, he starts making use of his talent for something big that leads to bits of unexpected twists in the latter part.
Rigid characters and perfect casting of actors makes the film so energetic. Shreyas Talpade steals the show with his scintillating performance while Amrita Rao doesn't strain herself a lot. Yashpal Sharma, Ravi Kissen, Divya Dutta and others add more colors to the humor part. But, not at all time you feel trickling your ribs with comedy tracks.
Musical score by Shantanu Moitra blended with lyrical lines of Ashok Mishra and Swanand Kirkire is felicitous for your ears. But, are the songs really necessary for this film is a million dollar question and without them, the duration would have been bit reduced. Cinematography grips up your attention, particularly with the colossal shots of scenic ambiance. Nevertheless, Aseem's editing work look fallible at certain points, but it doesn't go so blatant. Dialogues penned by Ashok Mishra is sure to win accolades, but he could sparkled with screenplay, for its drops off with the pace here and there.
On the whole, Welcome to Sajjanpur entertains you with fun and frolic, but not so groovier. It's a chill-pill piece of work that makes you feel, the film is worth watching.
Verdict: A Village-Journey worth it€¦
Rating : ***