By Goher Iqbal Punn, Film Critic – Showbiz Bites
Producer: Vishal Bhardwaj and Fox Star Studios
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Cast: Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapoor
Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Release Date: 11th January, 2013
Rating: ** (2/5)
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, the much-awaited and well-in-talks film, has hit the screens today. The movie has been getting true limelight from the masses due to the creative man Vishal Bhardwaj behind. Vishal’s movies always work big time and get thumbs up from the audiences. His creativity is vivid in all departments of the movie whether it is direction, writing or music. His expert skills come out to allure the masses. But what happened this time that Vishal could not impress the audiences in a way he usually does? This is the big question every cinegoer would like to ask the adroit filmmaker.
Bhardwaj’s creative thoughts, his dexterity of the art of filmmaking, his knowledge of the subjects, the literary subjects and ambiance he uses in his scripts and movies and his soothing music with real literary poetic genius of Gulzar on lyrics – this all is what the audiences seek every time Vishal Bhardwaj comes up with his cinematic venture. But with Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, he disappoints the viewers though not fully but in totality the audiences could not get what was being expected from him.
In this flick, Bhardwaj once again takes the route to rural ambiance as usually he does with his films. Although the talented filmmaker touches the serious issue in the movie but he injects the drops of humor in the film to lure the audiences. Well, you cannot expect that genre of humor in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola which we normally find in other comedies being served on Bollywood front rather Vishal’s humor is unconventional.
The pace of the film seems lethargic at various junctions and in particular the first half of the movie you begin to get bored with the slow pace. This is not the case that Vishal has not given his best in the film – there is no doubt that he displayed his histrionics in the flick but at various points, he seems to lose his mastery expertise. Few of the sequences have been executed remarkably that you would love to give them distinction points. But in totality, the slower pace and bad scripting are the real culprits of the disappointment of the audiences who come to watch a film after spending their hard-earned money.
The second half of the film rescues the film from sinking in completely as it is laced with some catchy sequences. If the script had been written with more sensibility, the movie would have been a gem in every sense of the word.
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola is set in rustic ambiance of a village in Haryana. The film tells the saga of Harry Mandola (Pankaj Kapur), an affluent industrialist who loves drinking and his daughter Bijlee (Anushka Sharma) a lot. He cherishes his unusual bond he and his daughter share with his man Friday Matru (Imran Khan). Bijlee is geared up to tie the knot with Baadal (Aarya Babbar) who is the son of a strapping politician Chaudhari Devi (Shabana Azmi). But the twists and turns begin happening in the lives of the trio – Matru, Bijlee and Mandola.
Although Vishal came up with a different and unique concept as usual he does with his stories in his films, but as mentioned above, the film turns disastrous because of the unexpected length, slower pace and bad scripting.
The writing is really volatile – Abhishek Chaubey, Vishal Bhardwaj and Sabrina Dhawan become the culprit for this wrongdoing. There are a number of sequences which have been stretched without any valid reasons. There was no need to use the typical Haryani dialect which the majority of the audiences cannot comprehend at all. Humor should have been a madcap as it is the flavor of today’s audience but Vishal’s humor is quirky.
As for direction, Vishal Bhardwaj impresses a lot with few brilliantly executed scenes. Dialogues by Vishal Bhardwaj too are catchy and attention-grabbing. Music is simple magical. As always, Vishal makes combo with creative genius Gulzar for churning out the music album. Gulzar writes creative yet impressive lyrics which glide on the ears with ease. Kartik Vijay Thyagarajan’s cinematography is magnum opus. Editing is not up to the mark.
Imran Khan delivers a brilliant performance. His dialect, body language and facial expressions grab the hearts. He shows he is there to stay and impress the audiences. Anushka Sharma develops as a luminous and classy actress with every film hits the screens. She has matured as a stupendous actress now. Pankaj Kapur loots the hearts with his splendid acting. Shabana Azmi is a class in her act. Aarya Babbar gets a meaty role and he delivers with aplomb. Rest of the cast impresses as well.
Final Verdict:
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola is a just about okay product. It’s not a usual Vishal Bhardwaj kind of cinema. Two Stars to this offering of Vishal Bhardwaj.
Film Details:
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, a film by the creative and brilliant film director-writer and musician of Bollywood film industry, Vishal Bhardwaj has been on its way to generate much oomph and popularity among the masses. Vishal’s movies are what every cinegoer awaits with eager eyes since they hold values, heart-hitting script, brilliant performances, catchy music and classy direction. Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’s movie review is here (above) to lure your souls. Read on the film’s details as well.
A romantic saga, the movie has been produced by the joint venture of Vishal Bhardwaj and Fox Star Studios. The creative man Vishal has done numerous jobs at this platform of Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. He has co-produced the film, co-scripted it, directed it and composed the soundtrack of the movie as well.
The main leads have been played by the trio of today’s heartthrob Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapoor. Shabana Azmi and Arya Babbar play the supporting characters in the film.
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola talks about a village in Haryana. It is a comedy drama about the life of Harry Mandola (Pankaj Kapoor), who is an affluent industrialist. He loves his drink, his sexy daughter Bijlee (Anushka Sharma) and the bond they both share and enjoy with Harry’s man Friday, Matru (Imran Khan). An LLB graduate from Delhi University, Matru is jobless since he does not find any post after the studies thus he returns to his native land to continue with his family profession of serving Mandola family. Matru is in love with Bijlee, who soon leaves for Oxford University for higher studies. She bumps into Baadal (Arya Babbar) there and starts loving him. Much to her father’s delight, she is all geared up to tie the knot with her love. But the twists and turns begin happening in the lives of Bijlee, Matru and Mandola.
Tidbits on Casting:
Vishal Bhardwaj’s first choice was his Omakara’s leading hero, Ajay Devgn who later dropped the film with reasons still unclear. Later Shahid Kapoor was approached but the things did not work well. Finally Imran Khan was roped in to play the main lead.
Film Album:
The music of the film has been making waves among the listeners who have given it positive response.
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