After numerous controversies over the content of the film, critically acclaimed filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar's Indu Sarkar was cleared by the Supreme Court, and has released today amidst expectations. Has Madhur, who has been witnessing a dull phase post Fashion (2008), with disastrous flicks Jail, Dil Toh Bacha Hai ji, Heroine and Calendar girls, proved his mettle with Indu Sarkar? Let's see.
Indu Sarkar revolves around Indu(Kirti Kulhari), an orphan who has a stammering problem, but can express her thoughts with her beautiful poems. She gets married to Navin Sarkar (Tota Roy Choudury) who works with the development minister, who tries to exploit the emergency declared in the country for his personal benefits. In the name of loyalty, Navin is inclined to the wrong, but Indu doesn't get to say anything as she's suppressed by Navin.
However situations take a turn, and Indu has to take care of 2 kids whose parents were killed in a slum demolition ordered by the govt, and Navin asks her to choose between him and the kids. What decision Indu takes, and the consequences she faces as she becomes a part of anti emergency struggle lead by Nanaji (Anupam kher), and whether they achieved in their mission against the powerful government is what Indu Sarkar is all about.
Indu Sarkar totally belongs to Kirti kulhari, who is on a good run post her impressive act in Pink. She plays the titular role with elan, and excels with her varied emotions portrayed on multiple dimensions, as the stammering girl yearning for relations,and the powerful woman who rises against all odds to get justice served to the society.
While Tota Roy Choudury fills the bill as the blind supporter of his boss, veteran Anupam Kher and Neil Nitin Mukesh do not get ample screen time to display their histrionics and hence fail to make an impact.
While Anu Malik's music doesn't gel well with the period the plot runs, the cinematography and the art direction play spoilsport with lack of detailing and artificial sets that don't look the period Indu Sarkar claims to depict. Sanjay Chahhel's dialogues are mediocre, and lack the necessary punch to show the rise of Indu.
After a string of failures, Madhur Bandharkar has returned with this hard hitting drama centred on a female protagonist who champions for the society against the government in emergency period of 1975-77.
While he has got the casting right,with Kirti shouldering the movie very well despite many shortcomings, and the metaphor of a stammering girl representing a suppressed nation, Madhur's screenplay is a matter of concern, as all the energy and excitement in the first half goes completely fizzles out in the second, as the transformation of Indu from a homemaker to a rebel isn't portrayed convincingly, with predictable sequences and blunt characterizations adding to the worries.
While Supriya and Neil don't get to play their roles to perfection thanks to their resemblances to real politicians, an actor Anupam Kher's calibre has been denied an opportunity to exhibit his potential. All said, Indu Sarkar is a can watch despite a tedious screenplay and substandard presentation of facts, for kirti's powerhouse performance, and the bold theme that's sure to shock the politicos.
