Release Date :14 April 2017
Banner :Vishesh Films, Play Entertainment
Producer :Mukesh Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt
Director :Srijit Mukherji
Cast :Vidya Balan, Ila Arun, Vivek Mushran, Naseeruddin
Shah, Ridheema Tiwari, Gauahar Khan, Pallavi Sharda, Pitobash Tripathi, Rajesh
Sharma, Flora Saini, Mishti, Sumit Nijhawan, Rajit Kapoor, Priyanka Sethia,
Ravija Chauhan, Poonam Rajput, Ashish Vidyarthi
Genre :Drama
A group of blasphemous, dogmatic and rebellious women who
are dependent on men's fleshly needs to earn a living are the heroines of
Srijit Mukerji's melodrama that is set against the backdrop of partition. Begum
Jaan’s story set during that particular historical period when the country was
being divided into India and Pakistan, and that left millions of our countrymen
deeply affected and changed their lives forever. Begum Jaan (Vidya Balan) a self-appointed
matron for a bunch of sex workers is the central character of the movie.
The remake of Bengali movie Rajkahini, Begum Jaan revolves
around the titular character (Vidya Balan) and her bevy of sex workers, who
operate in a sprawling old brothel in rural North India in the pre-Independence
era. When the Independence of India also marks the Partition of the country in
Hindustan and Pakistan, the very existence of the brothel is threatened when
the line dividing the two countries is drawn though the brothel.
Government officials of both the countries (Ashish Vidyarthi
and Rajit Kapoor) approach the Begum to ask her to vacate the brothel, but on
getting a hostile response, the two are compelled to unleash diabolical
assassin Kabir (Chunkey Pandey) and his bunch of cut-throats on the women. Will
Begum and her girls manage to conquer the enemy?
Vidya Balan is Begam Jaan plunges into her character with
the ferocity and aggression that her mascara rimmed eyes display. Vidya Balan plays
this brusque, impossibly cynical Madame of a brothel with a lot of conviction
and confidence. But one wishes her talent was used in a better film. Vidya Balan’s
raunchy dialogues are too good. The rest of the cast, including Pallavi Sharda,
Ila Arun, Gauahar Khan, Rajit and Ashish are good while Chunkey, with his
stained teeth and an air of restrained menace, is an absolute pleasure to
watch. Naseeruddin Shah, who essays the local emperor, hasn’t put many efforts
in the role and performs his negligible best.
Begum’s spirit is infectious though. She looks like a Bengal
tigress whether she is defending her body or boundaries. But, trying to retell
her virtues through various historical avatars in animation, is far too
indulgent. Also chats between officials of the INC and Muslim League, or for
that matter between other cardboard cutouts, is artificial. The
cinematographer’s effort to capture the Indo-Pak divide with close-ups in half
frames, seems inappropriate.
As for the film itself, it has certain influential moments
and a lot of good dialogues.
The movie has a very ‘over the top’ feel to it with loads of
drama aimed at regular entertainment. Had the filmmaker adopted a restrained
approach, the influence might have been much more powerful. The Holi number is lively
with arresting visuals.
In general, Begum Jaan is commendable for its entertaining
melodrama and powerful dialogues.
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