“Goli nahi marenge saaley ko, kehke lenge uski” - The intellectuals might point a finger to this single dialogue and term it too explicit. Frankly speaking while watching the movie, the same dialogue hits you like a thunderbolt. I stand undivided with my admiration towards GANGS OF WASSEYPUR (GOW). And I am shamelessly biased towards the movie too. Since West Bengal is my native land, stories of coal mines situated around Asansol, Dhanbad and many other places formed the crux of summer vacations spent there. I have myself heard about handmade bombs hurled over minor issues of idol immersions during festivals. So how could I not enjoy GOW?
I have been a huge fan of Anurag Kashyap from the days of him being credited with Saurabh Shukla as the writer of Satya. He continued with his journey and brought us Kaun, Shool and Darna Mana Hai. Later on his partnership with Ram Gopal Varma came to an end. It was like a blow but nonetheless necessary. Anurag Kashyap did not disappear. He stuck around and painted the portrait of a BLACK FRIDAY on the single screen. Just like other truthful movies, this one too met with protests, allegations, sabotage and unreasonable ire. Major newspapers reported about the 1993 blasts accused filing a writ petition against the producers Mid Day and Anurag Kashyap for tampering with evidence. They also managed to stay the release of the movie. But truth be told, BLACK FRIDAY released in the most daredevil way. Once again I was awed by the personas of every character that were detailed, determined and delivered more than the book had on offer. Being one of the maverick torchbearers of meaningful cinema in India, Anurag Kashyap took the liberty of writing and directing NO SMOKING. No one liked it. People blamed him of being self indulgent and too sarcastic. But little did they know that he was just igniting the much needed spark of change.
NO SMOKING flopped badly. It was accepted internationally with immense fervor. But back home, the Indian film industry had grown nastier. As if all of them had vowed to oust Anurag Kashyap from the premise of filmmaking. This was the darkest phase. I remember seeing an interview wherein Anurag had shared how he had literally begged to be given a chance as a scriptwriter. But no one was listening. Being a creative writer myself, and continuing to remain exposed to threats of abolishment; I was extremely moved by the plight of such a talented writer and director. But God is great. Or maybe luck had a better role to play. Situations overturned and Anurag Kashyap came roaring back with GULAAL on his face. Strangely his unapologetic PAANCH remains tanked. But when I watched it on youtube, I was astounded as to what was so drastic about the movie? Was it too much graphical? Was it too erotic than the Poonam Pandeys and Sunny Leones of recent times? Or was it that, a director with a non filmy background had emerged a threat with PAANCH to his credit. The film industry lay low. But Anurag held his head high and gave us DEV D, co-produced UDAAN, directed THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW BOOTS, produced SHAITAN and finally settled down to enthrall us with GOW.
Based on the many articles I read in the media over GOW, I gathered a lot of things about Anurag Kashyap. He is a worshipper of ideas. He reads everything that interests him. This also includes endless editions of Manohar Kahaniyan available at economical rates on every book stall at major railway stations. He champions the cause of fresh talent be given an opportunity to showcase their skills. And he never shies away from being associated with unconventional cinema. The story idea of GOW was presented to Anurag by an aspiring actor Zeishan Quadri, himself a native of Wasseypur (yes..The real place exists in Jharkhand). Zeishan handed over to Anurag an eight page concept note while he was seated at the Prithvi theatres in Juhu. Anurag read the script, took a close look at Zeishan and said to him – I AM GOING TO MAKE THIS FILM. But Zeishan put a condition to his script that he be given a role in the movie. Anurag agreed and countered the condition with another by asking Zeishan to audition for the role he demanded. Zeishan auditioned, bagged the role and will be seen soon in the second part of the movie as a character named ‘Definite’. But it would be ideal to discuss more on that later. At this point it is GOW Part 1.
The opening sequence is extremely engrossing. Who could have imagined that only bullets could have diverted the attention that this nation assigned to the sob opera – Kyunki Saas Bhee Kabhi Bahu Thee? Anurag imagined it and fired the first bullet so powerfully that a winning script was emerging loud and clear on the silver screen. The next 30 minutes after a mansion being showered with bullets engrossed me further as a viewer. It made me and the other audiences travel to the history behind Wasseypur. The reference to Sultana Daku arrived thereafter. Those who are unaware of this legendary dacoit should immediately read Sujit Saraf’s book CONFESSIONS OF SULTANA DAKU, which was released in 2009. At the end of this book, it was beautifully described how Sultana Daku disappeared in thin mist. People got over his presence by saying he was long dead. A British officer remembered him escape. And the popular belief that took shape was – Sultana Daku’s presence was just a myth. Therefore Sultana Daku’s conspicuous absence produced unsung replicas of him. In the British ruled Wasseypur, Sultana was kept alive by two clans – the Qureshis and the Pathans. Trains were looted and a war broke out over who the real Sultana Daku was and if both Sultanas had to operate, one has to part with his booty. A true Pathan could never tolerate such an atrocity. Abolished from his native town, he is forced to take refuge as a coal miner under the supervision of Ramadhir Singh. On a rainy night, the Pathan’s wife delivers a baby boy and dies. The Pathan with little help from his timid brother brings his son up. Ramadhir appoints the Pathan as his personal Pehalwan and one day bumps him off dramatically because he smells a conspiracy.
Before the Pehalwan is taken out of this world, Anurag constructs a well written plan which clearly shows how some people don’t choose to change with changing times. The Pathan’s son Sardar Khan grows up with a shaved head. Sardar Khan is the real story of the hero. But Anurag makes him much more vindictive. Sardar gets married and uses his wife to satisfy every manly urge. Power corrupts his mind. But Anurag keeps Sardar reminded of his primary mission – Kehke loonga. Sardar’s fondness for women is not veiled. He visits brothels but never makes lewd remarks. He eyes a Bengali woman Durga and wins her heart magically. Anurag once again spins the wheel by making Sardar say – Islam humein chaar nikaah karneki ijaazat kyon detaa hai. Arey chaar ghar ka bhala jo hota hai. Aur pataa nahi log kyu iss baat ko lekar itna bawal machaate hai.
A master of narrating a story with great conviction, Anurag makes Sardar juggle between his legally married wife and his illegitimate mistress. Both the women are themselves not naïve enough. Durga holds a certain grunt against Sardar and sets her scores right at the right moment. And Sardar’s real wife is not shy of dropping her guard while sharing a night of passion with his own uncle. Anurag twists the story and makes Sardar father four sons. On the other end Ramadhir keeps playing dirty games. He speaks of seeing ghosts in dreams. He slaps the man, who had once told him that after bumping Sardar’s father he had cut him into pieces and buried him deep. Tighmanshu Dhulia (director of Haasil, Charas, Shagird, Paan Singh Tomar and Saheb Biwi aur Gangster) essays the role of Ramadhir Singh. He competes with the character of Sardar Khan performed with panache by Manoj Bajpayee. Both shine like real diamonds. Ramadhir Singh’s brutality is best explored in the scene where he beats up his own son Jai Prakash Singh and calls him an idiot in front of all. Later on he goes ahead and insults his own son further by asking him to help his mother arrange the table for guests.
Anurag Kashyap puts his fearless self to good work as a director of GOW. He makes Faisal Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiquie) get addicted to the weed. His addiction is the result of being witness to the night of passion Sardar’s wife spends with his uncle. While his elder brother Daanish (actor’s name not known) starts supporting his father’s gang lordship. Faisal is a diehard fan of Amitabh Bachan and Anurag makes him act comically when he suddenly decides to hold the hand of his girlfriend.
Since vengeance is inherited, Anurag introduces more characters. One of them is Sultan Qureshi. A butcher by profession, he strongly resists his sister’s marriage to Sardar Khan’s elder son. In a gem-of-a-dialogue, he warns a copy saying, “This is Wasseypur. In here a pigeon tries to fly with one wing and shields its honor by the other”. He develops an undying distaste for Sardar Khan and vows to finish him.
GOW is not an easy film. It is real. The characters are infectiously believable. In a well written scene, the wife of Sardar Khan is shown busy serving food to the men of the family. She tells them to eat well before they can make out with women somewhere outside so that the honor of being true men is not lost. Anurag cleverly unleashes the sexual undercurrent within the women. The intimate encounters are enjoyable and the female leads do well with their own roles confidently while gracing the bed with their sexual prowess.
There are no lip synched songs to deter the pace of this story. Thankfully Yashpal Sharma plays the best item girl ever of Hindi cinema in this movie. The movie proceeds to a climax of utter bloodbath between the fighting groups. It truly does justice to the proverb – Kehke loonga. The movie ends at the note of an intense shootout at a petrol pump; a caption appears ‘Kahaani abhi baaki hai’ and the credits roll up. After some while the trailer of GOW2 starts playing. Faisal Khan replaces his father Sardar Khan in this part. He is seen wooing his girlfriend. And three new characters wait to be introduced and thoroughly enjoyed in the second part. Have you ever heard of character names of people like DEFINITE, TANGENT AND PERPENDICULAR. Action rolls over even more intensely in the second part. There is more sex in it than there was seduction in the first part.
I travelled back home astounded by the magnanimity assigned to GOW by Anurag Kashyap. This man is an extraordinary thinker. He is to be respected and worshipped. I am thankful to him for having made this movie, which is so fearless right from its onset. I don’t care if the Indian audiences or critics want to pan it. One of my own office colleagues remarked teasingly that Anurag has delivered a dud. I didn’t even feel the need to reply because this colleague of mine is not a writer but an average employee who is just found typing words on his PC. If passion is what needs to be seen in Indian cinema, watch Gangs of Wasseypur (meant strictly for adults). And yes, liking it or not liking it is a matter of choice. At least don’t come out insulting Anurag Kashyap. Remember he has taken great pain to make us travel to Wasseypur and promises to make it even merrier in the second part.
Go watch it and listen to all the songs in full volume.
Bowing my head to Anurag Kashyap, I sign off.
-vociferous
No comments:
Post a Comment