Film Review by Tazeen Hasan
Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama Mohenjo Daro has all the right spices:the sheer visual grandeur of Jodha Akbar, an innocent but naive hero like in Koi Mil Gaya, a twist of love to match that of Mujh Se Dosti Karo Gi, and thrilling action similar to Dhoom, not to mention its lack of historical perspective akin to that of Jodha Akbar and Mughal-e-Azam (neither Anarkali nor Jodha had ever existed in real life for historians). Nonetheless, the visual splendor of the sets, Hrithik’s action-packed sequences, and A.R. Rehman’s music make up for its weak script and all other shortcomings.
Being a passionate history lover, I have learned one important though a paradoxical lesson from cinema that historical epics amuse their audiences with everything but true history. Nevertheless, like the Oscar award winning Ridley Scott, I consider Cinema the best medium to deliver history to a common man.
Set in 2016 BC, Mohenjo Daro draws attention to one of the most ancient episodes of our history. Sarman (Hrithik Roshan), an indigo farmer from a small hamlet Amri on the banks of the Indus -actually a 7000-year-old village located in Jamshoro district near Hyderabad, Pakistan– sets out to seek his fortune in a faraway land Mohen Jo Daro –located in Larkana district of modern Pakistan. Overall, the journey of Sarman in the new land is replete with comedy, love, and action. What happens next forms the crux of the story.
Though same old brew of romance, revenge, jealousy and hate but with a fresh outlook on the ancient landscape. Hrithik successfully handles the character of Sarman and seems to dominate the screen all the time. Poja Hedge as Chaani appears to be shaky and nervy in several scenes and her expressions lack emotions in her debut appearance. The first half sets the tone of the movie. The weird headgear of the villain (Kabir Bedi) reminds me of Amrish Puri in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The costume designers failed completely to represent the period and what they exhibited was a hodgepodge of Greco-Roman and Rajput culture.
While the film fails to appeal to those who have a penchant for nuance and subtlety, it is a sure fire hit with the non-choosy viewers because of its breathtaking stunts, awesome visuals, melodious music, and the action-packed performance of Hrithik Roshan! What stays with the viewer well beyond the film ending is the pulsating background music that refuses to be silenced.
All in all, the visual splendor of the film seems to make up for all its errors and the film portrays a diaphanous picture of the most engaging epoch of our history through its crystal stream of VFX and superb cinematography.
Media Bites Editorial – Tazeen Hasan
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