Sanju and His Galti Se Mistakes
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| Image Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org |
Reviewer’s Thumb Mark
Rajkumar Hirani’s film 'Sanju’ appears to be the outcome of a well thought, brainstormed and conveniently selected pieces of Sanjay Dutt's life’s incidents. After watching Sanju, one can sum up the film in one line - “Subah Ka Bhula Agar Shaam Ko Ghar Lout Aaye Tho Usse Bhula Nahi Kehte”.
While watching the film, I remembered what Alexander Pope wrote in his ‘Essay on Criticism’ - “To Err is Human; to Forgive, Divine”. But what makes me wonder is that, is it an error by the filmmaker and the man in question to completely ignore the existence of his Ex-wives Richa Sharma and Rhea Pillai? It was Rhea Pillai who stood with Sanjay Dutt when he was languishing in a prison cell during the Mumbai blasts trial. What followed next is his marriage with her in 1998 and in one of his interview he said - “Love is what Rhea did when I was in jail”.
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Hirani makes Sanju mouth about his 308 girlfriends and rounds up the figure to 350 and he also shows Manyata's sacrifices, understanding and maturity as a wife. The film also repeatedly focuses on the innocent faces of his two children from Manyata. All these are really touching but why his first daughter Trishala from Richa Sharma is missing from the frames?; his sisters Priya and Namrata are mute spectators in the whole film while the father-son duo is engaged in an ocean of emotions that displays the ups and downs the family has gone through? The question is what was the compulsion that made the Sanju team remain silent on many aspects of his life that is on public domain but didn't dare to bring on screen?
In the film, there is an instance when his father Sunil Dutt, played well by Paresh Rawal, visits a newspaper office and strikes a conversation with the editor on the authenticity of the news on Sanju. The editor in response to him plays an audio tape in which Sanju is heard talking to some underworld don. Sunil Dutt without battering his eyelids asks the editor why then there is a 'question’ mark at the end of the sensational headline and not a ‘period’ when he is so sure about the veracity of the tape. Here, I would like to ask the filmmaker and his team why they didn’t address in the film so many questions the audience have in their mind.
The film Sanju is good but as a biopic, it is really disappointing and biased. It is unfortunate to say that Rajkumar Hirani fails to be independent, unbiased and objective in making this film as a filmmaker. I am sure whenever Sanjay Dutt would meet Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and the team he would happily hum the yesteryears popular song (which is also used in the film) ‘Yaara Teri Yaari Ko Main Tho Khuda Mana, Yaad Karengi Duniya Tera Mera Afsana’.
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Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt is noteworthy and excellent. He is undoubtedly an actor with an enormous amount of talent. Paresh Rawal as Sunil Dutt brings in the required amount of agony, sadness, concern and care as a father in the film. The father-son scenes are moving and inspiring too.
Vicky Kaushal as Kamlesh aka 'Kamli’ Kanhaiya Lal Kapasi steals the show. His role as a friend in Sanju wins many hearts and minds. Vicky Kaushal after Raazi has Sanju in his profile which he can for sure be proud of. Jim Sarbh as a drug peddler and friend plays his part well.
Dia Mirza as Manyata, Manisha Koirala as Nargis, Sonam Kapoor as Ruby and Anushka Sharma as Winnie Diaz, Karishma Tanna as Pinky and Aditi Gautam as Priya Dutt have nothing significant to say and emote. It is so unjustified and cruel to mute these women who have played significant roles in Sanjay Dutt's life.
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| Image Courtesy: indiatoday.in |
I recently heard a known trade analyst in an interview trying to justify the film Sanju by saying that the Rajkumar Hirani was only focusing on two aspects of Sanjay Dutt's life - (a) Drugs and (b) The Mumbai blast trial. If that is the case don't you think that these women (his mother, ex-wives, daughter Trishala and the rest) were part of these two aspects too?
The music by AR Rahman, Rohan-Rohan and Vikram Montrose are good. Of all the songs in the film the song 'Kar Har Maidaan Fateh’ sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Shreya Ghoshal stays in your mind for long.
In short, Sanju can be watched but it is biased and not a biopic as it is claimed to be. Go and watch Sanju this week and ‘Forgive’ Sanju, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Galti Se Mistakes and stay ‘Divine’ as an audience.
Life Connoisseur Movie Rating: 3/5
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor (Sanju), Vicky Kaushal (Kamlesh ‘Kamli’ Kanhaiyalal Kapasi), Paresh Rawal (Sunil Dutt), Manisha Koirala (Nargis Dutt), Anushka Sharma (Winnie Diaz), Sonam Kapoor (Ruby), Karishma Tanna (Pinky), Boman Irani (Ruby’s Father), Dia Mirza (Manyata Dutt), Sayaji Shinde (Bandu Dada), Jim Sarbh (Zubin Mistry), Sanjay Dutt as himself (Cameo in the end credit song), Aditi Gautam (Priya Dutt)
Genre: Biopic
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Producers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Written by: Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi
Music by: Sanjay Wandrekar, Atul Raninga
Cinematography: Ravi Varman
Edited by: Rajkumar Hirani
Production Company: Rajkumar Hirani Films, Vinod Chopra Films
Distributor: Fox Star Studios, 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 29 June 2018
Duration: 161 Minutes
Language: Hindi
