3.5/5
Main Atal Hoon, based on the Marathi book, Atalji: Kavihridayachye Rashtranetyachi Charitkahani, spans more than six decades of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s life. It begins with his early days as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member, to his eventual rise as the prime minister during the late ‘90, where he oversaw the Kargil war and Pokhran-II tests, among other things. It's a bullet point pastiche of his achievements as a politician, and doesn't really shed a light on who he was as a person.We don't come to know what made him deviate towards right wing politics and embrace staunch Hindutva. Poets are by and large left wing by nature. He was a fairly good poet leaving a prolific work behind him. What made a poet, an intellectual, a thinker take part in religion-based politics doesn't come across. It's a dichotomy that needed to be explored but the director has steered clear of it.
More than Vajpayee’s biopic, the film feels like the biography of the Bharatiya Janata Party. While it's true that a politician and his party can't be separated, the film dwells more on the formation of Jan Sangh and its later transformation into BJP than on the man himself. And for some reason, the people around him, be it LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi or other BJP stalwarts are reduced to being cardboard cutouts. There's no interaction scenes where he's seen sharing his world view with them and vice versa. He had an adopted family, and while the film fleetingly introduces them to us, there are no scenes depicting Vajpayee, the family man.
The film is more concerned about blackballing the Congress party than anything else. It's painted as a nest of evil politicians hell bent on running the county to ground, while the BJP is shown to be the better alternative. The film ironically points out that Vajpayee thought ill of political horse-trading and wanted no part in it. It says that Congress regularly bought over politicians to gain a majority, something Vajpayee points out was an anathema to true democracy and his own party should steer clear of it. Strangely, the film hints that Indira Gandhi’s assassination by Sikh terrorists was something she brought down on herself. Though, given the anti-Nehru stance of the present regime, it shows Vajpayee praising the first Prime Minister of the country for the way he successfully ran the country.
It should be noted that Vajpayee was reportedly hurt and saddened by the riots which erupted after the Babri Masjid demolition. He took political exile for some time after that. What happened during that period, what made him turn towards active politics again, doesn't get shown in the film.
He wasn't just a politician but a poet and a statesman whose popularity cut across party lines. He was friends with most of his political colleagues, despite not sharing their philosophy. He preached and practised a politics of inclusion, of harmony and not seclusion. To see him just as the head of a political party is a disservice to the great man's memory. His legacy goes beyond that and we wish a better film was made on his many-faceted life.
Lead actor Pankaj Tripathi, who doesn't look like Vajpayee at all, has given his all to the film. His voice modulation, mannerisms, body language, and oratory are all on point. Close your eyes and one feels one is in the presence of the great man. Kudos to Tripathi for another bravura performance.
Trailer : Main Atal Hoon
Dhaval Roy, January 18, 2024, 11:41 PM IST
3.5/5
Story: The biopic follows the life and times of the former Prime Minister of India, Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It also chronicles the various facets of his personality and the country’s achievements under his leadership.
Review: Making a biopic on a stalwart like the 10th Prime Minister of India, Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is no mean feat. While the creators must weave a cohesive narrative from an exhaustive chronicle, the actor must portray the role befittingly. Main Atal Hoon stands out in both regards. Pankaj Tripathi delivers a pitch-perfect performance as Vajpayee, a poet, politician, statesman, and gentleman. Besides the mannerisms and speech, the actor perfectly nails the nuances of his personality. On the other hand, award-winning director-writer Ravi Jadhav (Natrang, Taali, etc.) and co-writer Rishi Virmani come up with aces in chronicling the life and times of one of the most admired figures in India.
Inspired by Sarang Darshane’s book, Atalji: Kavihridayache Rashtranetyachi Charitkahani, the movie succinctly covers Vajpayee’s journey from being a freedom fighter to a revered leader. The narrative summarises all the prominent influences, pivotal events, and important achievements under his leadership. From the Kargil War, the bus yatra from India to Pakistan, and the Pokhran Nuclear Test, many crucial episodes have been depicted through archival footage, making the narrative more engaging and authentic. However, the audience may need knowledge of Indian politics to understand a few parts of the movie. Although a narrator sets the context regularly, it would have helped to have some background in these portions.
The film initially moves at a steady pace but slows intermittently until the interval. It picks up its speed again in the second half when the narrative shifts towards the peak of his days as a politico. Besides its writing and direction, the biopic boasts stellar cinematography by Lawrence Alex Dcunha. The movie is a visual treat, from silhouettes to camerawork enhancing important scenes. Salim-Sulaiman, Payal Dev, Kailash Kher, and Amritraj provide a soundtrack that evokes inspiration, and Monty Sharma’s background score makes the narrative more powerful. The use of Vajpayee’s poetry recitation and lyrics in songs also add to the appeal.
While Pankaj Tripathi shines as Vajpayee and looks like his replica, especially in long shots, Raja Rameshkumar Sevak, as LK Advani, looks extraordinarily similar to the senior leader. Other political figures, such as Sushma Swaraj (Gauri Sukhtanker) and Arun Jaitley (Yogendra Patwal), have also been portrayed perfectly. Vajpayee’s relationship with his father, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee (Piyush Mishra), is heartwarming and even elicits a few chuckles. The depiction of his equation with his classmate and long-time friend Rajkumari Kaul, nee Haksar (Ekta Kaul), is pleasant. Although the movie touches upon how Vajpayee met his adopted daughter, Namita Bhattacharya (Kaul), their relationship could have been elaborated.
The film’s narrative, treatment, and stellar portrayal by Pankaj Tripathi will leave you enamoured. Watch this movie that will fill you with admiration for one of the most significant political figures in India.
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