Maharathi

PARESH Rawal's popular Gujarati play which has been running for almost 21 years now and has already had 700 successful stage performances, opens on the big screen with a stellar cast. Needless to say, the expectations were sky high, specially since Bollywood doesn't really boast of too many taut thrillers of late. Maharathi doesn't disappoint, although the bindings of theatre do keep it more of an in-door affair, where people play out their crimes and misdemeanours and keep the viewer guessing with their mercurial shifts in moods and passion.

Naseeruddin essays the role of a has-been film director who seems to have fallen on bad days after marrying wannabe actress, Neha Dhupia. A complete mess of a man, he spends most of his time drinking and raging: a riveting picture of a man on the brink, waiting to explode. Petty thief, Paresh Rawal saves him from a near-death experience one night and becomes his most trusted aide, much to the discomfiture of spitfire Neha, who doesn't spare a chance to insult him. Naseer does end his sordid life, but not before creating a web of greed, deceit and treachery that binds together the assorted people in his life. The bait is the Rs 24 crore insurance money which is enough allurement to turn everybody -- wife Neha, savior Paresh, lawyer Boman -- into a bunch of predators.

So who's the meanest of them all? Play the guessing game, as loyalties change, mishaps occur and providence plays hookie with the grand masters. There are enough turns and twists in the plot to keep you in nail-biting mode, although the film does take time to build up towards a thrilling second half. Almost all the actors play out their roles to perfection. If Naseer renders a copy book act of a success-gone-sour story, then Paresh is matchless as the man with a million moods, most of them being fake. Boman Irani, minus his exaggerations, is eminently watchable, but it is Neha Dhupia who seems to be growing after her association with alternate cinema.

If you want a taste of a desi version of Sleuth, Peter Shaffer's spellbinding play-turned-film, go watch Maharathi. The story may be different, the edge of danger is almost similar.

After successfully staging 700 shows of the play 'Maharathi' in Gujarati since 1987, veteran actor Paresh Rawal is all set to win audiences again through the big screen adaptation of the classy comic thriller that is releasing Friday.

Paresh plays an unsuccessful actor-cum-conman in the film - the same character he had essayed in the play that he had directed. But he avoided directing the movie because he could not remove theatre from his sensibility.

'I've often been asked why I didn't direct the film. The truth is the play is still fresh in my mind. But I didn't want the grammar of the stage to be applied to the film version. Then what is the point doing a film? My mind is filled with the play. I couldn't have detached myself from the stage. I needed a fresh cinematic vision to improve on the play. After doing plays for 21 years, I can't remove theatre from my sensibility,' Paresh said.

Finding a producer for the film was an uphill task for the actor.

'History repeated itself for the film when I had to hardsell my script for almost three years. Finally, I found a producer in Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd,' he said.

Originally, Vikram Bhatt was to direct it, but he was replaced by Shivam Nair of 'Ahista Ahista' fame. The film stars a host of theatrical veterans like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Boman Irani apart from Neha Dhupia and Tara Sharma.

'Maharathi' revolves around a middle-aged man, Subhash (Paresh), who has spent 10 years of his life trying to get a break in films but does not succeed. He makes ends meet by committing petty crimes and conning unsuspecting victims.

One night, he saves a man's life at the risk of his own and accompanies him back home.

Eventually winning his trust, Subhash is hired by the man, Adenwalla (Naseeruddin Shah), as his driver. However, Adenwalla's wife Mallika (Neha Dhupia) resents his proximity to her husband.

Subhash, once he is firmly ensconced in Adenwalla's house, discovers that Mallika has evil designs. Seeing this as a lucrative opportunity to rid himself of a lifetime of middle-class mediocrity and poverty, Subhash collaborates with Mallika to acquire Adenwalla's money and property.

However, their best laid plans go awry and Subhash ends up getting trapped in his own lies and manoeuvres.

In the race of films being adapted from books and real life stories, one has to wait and watch if 'Maharathi', a screen adaptation of a successful play, is liked by critics and audiences.

A certain theatre thespian once pointed out that Gujarati theatre is like a wedding in all its grandeur but without the bride. Paresh Rawal's latest film Maharathi is adapted from the Gujarati play by the same name.

Sure enough the movie has everything right – a stellar cast, a pretty-looking woman, well-packaged publicity material and the works. But somehow, just somehow the film doesn't tend to hold your attention – partly because the plot is somewhat loosely constructed and secondly because it's quite long for a thriller.

In fact when the publicity manager tells you that it is 120 minutes long, your heart sinks.

The plot

Nonetheless, the story of the film goes something to this effect – Subhash (Paresh Rawal) is a small-time crook who manages to eke out a living by managing to fool unsuspecting people at ATMs. One fine evening, he happens to save the life of a certain Mr Adenwala (Naseeruddin Shah) and finds himself employed as his driver.

Life at the Adenwala mansion however is not easy. Subhash has to keep his eyes open and save his skin from Adenwala's scheming wife Mallika (Neha Dhupia). The street smart but fairly straightforward Subhash however finds himself in a situation where he cannot resist himself the temptation of making a fortune simply by passing off a suicide as a murder.

Adenwala, we are told used to be a popular film producer who has managed to blow off all his fortunes over alcohol. The young and pretty wife used to be an aspiring heroine who melted the ageing Adenwala's heart. Sure enough the marriage, like all relationships based on convenience, reaches a point where neither seems to care about the other.

Adenwala thus finds in Subhash a friend and a confidant who saves his life on more than just one occasion. However when Subhash has the opportunity to earn a fortune over Adenwala's dead body, he doesn't think twice.

But the plot Mallika and he hatch has more than just two players. How Subhash manages to outwit everyone in the house forms the climax of the story.

Most storytellers seek inspiration from Hollywood films. But very few film-makers look at what our auteur have to offer. Maharathi is the cinematic adaptation of Uttam Gada's Gujarati play, which was a huge success two decades ago.

Another reason that enhances the curiosity is the fact that it brings four of the finest talents of the Hindi film industry together.

But not all plays are fit for cinematic adaptations. Maharathi may be a hugely successful play, but it's not as engaging as a cinematic experience. Let's face it, cinema and theatre are two diferent mediums altogether!


Also, Maharathi is not one of those Bollywood thrillers where everything, right up to the minutest detail, is spoon-fed to the viewer. Besides, it falters, loses balance and gets clichéd and contrived when the director and writer decide on winding up. And that's not good news for any thriller.