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GURU - a sensitive biopic

Discussion in 'Movies' started by vidyasarada, Feb 8, 2007.

  1. vidyasarada

    vidyasarada Senior IL'ite

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    Maniratnam can keep denying it till the cows come home, but fact remains that Guru is Ambani (Sr).
    Its all there. The humble begining as petrol pump attendant ; the sly, controversial trade practices as a lay dealer, the import scams, bending of rules, the unprecedented shareholder's meet in a sports stadium, hounding by an insistent journo, the ever smirking countenance ; even the logo of Guru's flagship company bears a striking resemblance to the Reliance logo. Giving his Hero the uncommon name of Gurukanth, Mani has ensured that throughout the movie he is referred to as Gurubhai, but he would like us to think that its only our imagination if we heard it as Dhirubhai ! The director's only valid defense could be that Ambani did not don colourful costumes and dance with his wife in picturesque locales as Guru and the Mrs. do in the movie !:)

    However that may be, GURU is a very well made movie. Fast paced, slick, totally shorn of melodrama and unnecessary comedy. No pious whitewashing of ugly facts. No humming and hawing about the fact that the Hero is gray . And Mani's eternal fascination with the, by-now-famous, Nayagan line: "Is he Good or Bad?" forms the undercurrent of the crucial scene where Guru explains his actions to the Inquiry commission. At the end of it, the presiding judge ( Roshan Seth ,with a wry look) declares helplessly, " You certainly can't hang him !"
    If we really have to have a message, then it would be this : Lapses in business ethics is forgivable if , finally, wealth is generated and shared among the needy middle class, opening up undreamt of opportunities for them. A rather gray lesson .

    Abhishek is top class. A 100% born actor.
    Aishwarya does not have much to do except look pretty as a young villager and as a middle aged matron. The only spark she shows is when she discovers that Guru married her only for the dowry.
    Mithun Chakraborty , as the media baron torn between personal affection for Guru and professional demands to oppose the corrupt businessman, is superb.
    Madhavan as a muckraking journo is OK
    Vidya Balan's character is unnecessary and drags the tempo.
    A.R.Rahman's moody background drones sometimes drown out low toned dialogues.
    The Art Director needs to be congrartulated for recreating the period faithfully, without a smallest touch of artificiality.
    Mallika Sherawat's Maiyya-Maiyya dance, served, on purpose, as a pickle, is drool-worthy !
    Guru is an eminently watchable movie.

    VS
     
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  2. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear VS,
    I loved Guru too !
    It was refreshingly different from the “ run-of-the mill”. That is perhaps one reason, we enjoy it.

    The “dowry, hidden” did play a part in my life years back !. My Fil got dowry from my father & cleverly hid it from V. When V came to know about it, months after we got married, he was deeply upset that he was kept in the dark. He went all the way to Madurai to explain to my father that it was done without his knowledge. He wanted to pay back the money to my father, who refused to accept it. Finally, V opened an account in my name & deposited it !! So much for nostalgia, that Guru kindled !!!

    liked the way, Guru conserved his energy for the final scene & talked, starting that he is a Baniya ! That word explained it all. Business in every cell of his body !
    Aishwarya looked every bit, an understanding wife in the last few scenes. I hope she makes one in real life as well !
    I loved the pickle, VS & have no shame in admitting it !!
    You have, in your inimitable style, analysed threadbare. I enjoyed your review as much as I did the movie.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  3. AGR

    AGR Bronze IL'ite

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    Hi VS

    Really enjoyed ur synopsis…….I enjoyed watching the film……….Gurubhai’s characterization was very well done by Abhishek……..The role could have gone anyway……Gurubhai could have become a villain If not handled properly esp. in the climax scene…….also the Director has not gone into actually justifying the acts of Guru………Kudos to Manirathnam for handling such sensitive biopic…….As u said it is clearly the story of D.Ambani……….the man who dreamt of becoming big, aims and becomes big and after that asks every body to think big (of course his sons are continuing to do that)………..and starting as a person breaking the law……….he actually (in real life) goes to the extent of creating laws………… This movie I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed seeing the film “Bharathi”…………………Infact both men dreamt and dreamt beyond their period but ooophhh what a difference………..
     
  4. vidyasarada

    vidyasarada Senior IL'ite

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    Hi Chit
    Enjoyed reading your malarum ninaivugal.
    Unlike Guru, Mr.V. turns out to be a Real Life Hero ! Lucky you ! So, what started out as varadakshinai , finally became Streedhan !

    Actually when you think about it, maybe the custom of dowry started as a very practical practice of giving the newlyweds the money, household things( Seer), even provision( angamani) so that they can start their new household. Later ofcourse, it could have turned topsy- turvy, i.e. instead of parents lovingly giving their daughter her stree-dhanam, the groom's people would have started demanding the booty !

    Anyway, give my regards to Hero Mr.V.:wave

    VS
     

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