Praveen Lulekar
Period Films, with all its
sub-categories, is probably the most difficult genre of films. Take any episode
of any great dynasty, and you will see a complex labyrinth of sub-plots. When
narrated as stories, the writer has to choose one prime theme and surround it
with the happenings around. Marathi novels have chosen this central factor to
be either a hero or a love story, be it Panipat, Shrimaan Yogi, Raau or Swami.
Indian films, from Mughal-e-Azam to Jodha Akbar, have chosen
love stories to be this point of attention.
The problem with Rama Madhav is
that this love story itself proves to be a threat to the otherwise interesting
proceedings. The film falls and rises out of the one great risk such films
carry – romanticising.
The film covers the chapter of
Madhavrao, the fourth Peshwa in the history of the dynasty. Peshwa was the post
of prime-minister in the Maratha kingdom. It begins around 1760 when the third
battle of Panipat was due. Nanasaheb (Ravindra Mankani) was the Peshwa and
Gopikabai (Mrinal Kulkarni), his wife. The battle was lost under the brave
Sadashivrao (Amol Kolhe) and Nanasaheb dies of shock. Raghunathrao (Prasad Oak)
is now hopeful for the post. Nanasaheb’s son Madhavrao (Alok Rajwade) is
instead chosen, upsetting the aspirant. Madhavrao’s love with Rama (Shruti
Kalsekar and Parna Pethe), blooms on this background.
Director Mrinal Kulkarni has definitely
got a sense of story-telling. Though focussed on the lead pair, the film covers
all the politics happening around. The first half is consumed by the synopsis
given above; the screenplay is engaging here. Even the scenes of child Rama
(Kalsekar) and Madhav understanding each other do not obstruct the flow. Where
it hurts is obvious – the war scenes. Kulkarni has intelligently shot these in
extreme close-ups but Panipat’s was a huge battle. It cannot be shown with
Sadashivrao fighting two enemy soldiers. Action direction falters overall;
Madhavrao’s little bravery display scene is also poorly constructed.
Romanticism is served is digestible
doses in this prtion. There are children singing and dancing in the village and
everyone in the royal family saying how cute little Rama is. But the politics
keeps you interested. The set of Shaniwarwada is richly constructed but the
finishing seems to be a little modern. The surroundings of the palace are also
not shown, which makes it a limited experience.
The second half is where Kulkarni
completely dons the pink glasses. We have a bad habit of glorifying the past.
Kulkarni keeps it in check; probably because it is designed and needed for a
commercial appeal. But Rama and Madhav go far too many times on the seventh
floor of the Shaniwarwada and play too much with the binoculars.
Rajwade and Pethe do a terrific job to
make it believable. Rajwade, especially, raises a pitch perfect character that
covers a range from amateur enthusiast to an idealistic leader to a terminally
ill lover. Pethe, on the other hand, has a difficult job as Rama’s character is
not well defined. She is mostly childish and has a flare for dedicated love.
Pethe does a really good job giving all this meaning. She picks up the
character where Kalsekar leaves it and adds her own skill to it. The duo has
also done an extremely god job striking a chemistry.
But the love story is the Achilles’ heel
of the film. It slows it down and takes away the focus from what could have
been a real punch – the enmity between Raghunathrao and Madhavrao. It gets
limited to the former doing some black magic tricks on the latter. The makers
(purposely) leave it ambiguous if it was this that inflicted cancer in
Madhavrao. And romanticising reaches new heights when Rama decides to die with
Madhav by being a Sati.
Is this the only way we can look at
history? Could we have multiple protagonists or a feministic approach or
graphic wars or anything that breaks the cliché? That does not serve a
commercial film’s purpose but Pethe and Rajwade might think of something for
their experimental theatre. It is definitely better than romanticising Sati.
m4m says: One Time Watch.
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