Chakravuyh:
Prakas Jha has in the past revealed
the panache to deal with the underbelly of society. Sooner than later he was
bound to deal with the Marxist movement in India. What better way to describe
the state of the movement than the battle formation with a challenged exit
point. Our mainstream cinema and to a large extent even the midstream has
stayed away from the movement. Tapan Da’s Sagina Nihlani’s Drohkaal being some
rare exceptions.
To that extent Jha takes a road less travelled. Not since Nihlani’s Drohkaal
has the police – Naxal conflict been canned with so much punch and conviction.
PJ has renewed ties with his cinema after a while. The subject isn’t strictly
populist or popular. So isn’t the treatment. Buoyed by a philosophy that is
bloody, convincing, compelling and romantic if errant, it is countenanced by a
systemic force, that may be characterised by dare devilry but has surely lost a
tad of its credibility. This conflict is wonderfully narrated assisted by some
top class Editing (Santosh Mandal) and Screenplay (Anjum Rajabali, Prakash Jha,
Sagar Pandya) and engrossing Cinematography.
There are moments when the narration is a riveting docu-drama that mocks the
fragile façade of India shining. It is a shooter that should wake up the Montek
Singhs and the other M Singhs.
Adil Khan (Arjun Rampal), Rhea (Esha Gupta) and Kabir (Abhay Deol) are
colleagues at the Police Academy. While the two graduate and are senior
officers, the rebel without cause Kabir is thrown out of the academy. Years
later they meet at a reunion. The old chemistry is rekindled. Adil has a huge
career challenge ahead of him and is called for an operation to deal with the
Naxalite problem. Govind Suryavansi (Om Puri) is arrested and charged of
multiple killings. The next targets include the enigmatic Rajan (Manoj
Bajpayee) and the daring Juhi (Anjali Patil). Kabir hits about a plan of paying
the undercover. He decides to join the Naxal movement and become the informer –
obviously inspired by Becket and Namak Haram. The experience follows the same
fate. The Naxals are immediately fighting the establishment of an industry in
the tribal area of Nandighat by the business tycoon Mahanta (Kabir Bedi). On
the one hand the police are fighting to contain the growing influence of the
Naxalites – euphemistically referred to as the Naxal menace and parallel is the
growth of the movement against a system that swings between excess and
indifference. Kabir who comes to spy stays back to lead. The transformation
(metamorphosis) is complete, compelling and sucks straight into the dilemma so
magnificently shot hitherto by Hrishida (Namak Haram). In a way Chakravyuh is a
Jha take on Namak Haram – only more contemporary, more punch filled, more
committed to the cause than the emotional aspect, raw and short of mind
boggling. This modern day Becket depicts Naxal violence as the optionless
response of an India engulfed in poverty and exploitation. This is not the
Marx-Mahatma perspective. In fact it is a reflection of that dream gone sour,
it is a paradoxical Gandhi with the Gun tale as stated by a character in the
film.
On the one hand the film makes for compulsive viewing thanks largely to the
honest script and the daring take by the film maker. On the other the cast
gives the film a pedestal credibility. You are left with the feel that Jha
should have used his fav Devgn in the lead, but to the credit of Arjun Rampal he
has done his job. He has done his best. He is adequate. Manoj delivers sans the
customary mannerisms thanks largely to the fact that the characters are etched
in reality. Om Puri is his usual self. Esha Gupta too delivers without much
ado. Anjali Patil has a rawness that reminds you of the likes of Nandita Das
and Smita Patil. Abhay Deol yet again reiterates that he is actor with not just
a sense of script and story but with a matching sense to translate a narration
with just the poise and drama required. He seeps into the role with customary
ease and makes the film worth viewing.
Dissidence is a plaque constantly polished to shine in a democracy. Systemic
violence is a myopia. Constitutionalism is the guaranteed anti dote. Those
living in the margin are bound to trek the rough terrain. It is redeeming that
mainstream entertainment has time and space for the voice that is in the
wilderness and heard only in the midst of the echoes of guns and other
missiles. Hats off Prakash Jha for a wonderful cinematic experience turned
important social document.
L. Ravichander.