Film Review--Guru

Guru
Direction: Mani Ratnam
Cast : Mithun,Abhishek Bachhan,
Aishwarya Rai,Madhavan,Vidhya Balan
Cinematograhy : Rajiv Menon.
Music : A.R.Rahman



So..to put it in Mani Ratnam's words good
fiction must be rooted in reality.Guru could
have been inspired from Ambani,LN Mittal,or
it could have been inspired from the fictional
characters of Kieth Townsend and Richard Armstrong
of Jeffrey Archer's The Fourth Estate.

It is about a protagonist who belongs
to "Veni Vidi Vici" category.It is
about an ambitious man brimming with
ideas for whom the ends justify the means.

The story starts with Gurukant Desai(Abhishek)
(in Tamil the name is Gurunath Desikan!)
going to Istanbul to nurture his ambitions
and returning back to India to chase
his own dreams.

Starts his own polyester textile business
in Bombay,initially struggles through
the bureaucratic hurdles, fights back,
slowly subdues his opponents,learns the art
of cajoling and coaxing the politicians,
expands his business and becomes
unstoppable at one point.

The carefully chosen words,meticulously
delivered dialogues and the strategy Guru
devises during his meeting with the
politician to prevail upon him to obtain
permission for his new petro chemical
business will of-course be a discussion
among the budding entrepreneurs. That sequence
is a typical Mani Ratnam's magnum opus.It also
exposes the dangerous liaisons that the
business tycoons and the politicians enjoy.

The love-hate relationship between Guru
and the newspaper editor(Mithun) seems
to be new to the Indian film industry.
Abhishek expresses his greedy ambitions
through his eyes.He is at his best in acting.
We can see his acting skills honed
right from RGV's Sarkar.

Madhavan is a young journalist who is up
against Abhishek in movie and in acting.
Vidya Balan is beautiful.

It will be a sin if I dont mention about
Mallika Sherawat's "Mayya Mayya" song.
It comes at the very beginning of the movie.
So...!! Sujatha's(Aishwarya) introduction
song at the top of the Mahabalipuram's four
pillared Mandapam and the Tere Bina song shot in
Maduarai Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is aesthetic
and artistic.Seems Mani Ratnam is fond of these
two places.It has come in many of his movies.
(Iruvar,Bombay,Thalapathi,Thiruda Thiruda)

Rajiv Menon speaks through the colors and
lighting with great elan.Whilst the characters
speak through Vijay Krishna Acharya's sharp dialogues.
In Tamil it is Azagham Perumal,director of Dum Dum Dum.
Rahman's music is dulcet and the
back ground music full-fills the need
of the scenes.

Fine,why is that there is always a
shade of sorrow and melancholy in second
half screenplay when he is active in business.
Is it because pain is part of
one's life who has reached great heights.
We can see the same pain being protrayed
in Iruvar also.

Seems the slowness at some instances in
the movie cant be avoided when you want
to tell the real life.

Villager,Visionary,Winner applies both
to Gurukant Desai and Mani Ratnam!