| Release Date: 2 October 2014 (USA) Genre: Action, Crime, Drama IMDb Rating: 8.1 Director: Vishal Bhardwaj Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Shraddha Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan |
Finally, we come to the end of the road. The final installment in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare trilogy as an adaptation of Hamlet.
I can talk about Haider all day long, and I am not kidding. Haider is an absolute beauty to behold. Directed and written with such finesse and conviction, it’s work of a man at the height of his abilities. Bhardwaj doesn’t always stay true to the material, but that in no way pulls back from the experience.
In fact, Haider feels like the movie where he has managed to perfectly capture the Shakespearean core of the story giving it the Indian spin, not just on the surface, but let it seep in, creating a spectacular adaptation.
Haider Meer returns to his home in Kashmir to find his father missing. Arrested for harboring militants in their house, with no trace of him. Surprised by seeing the increasing closeness between his uncle and recently widowed mother, Haider begins suspecting whether they had any part in the disappearance of his father. As he sets off to dig deep into his father’s disappearance, various forces come to play each with an agenda of their own.
The political tension that was one of the main aspects of Hamlet, makes Kashmir of the ’90s a perfect Indian setting, as it embraces the militancy issue, and the essence of the period completely. Kashmir and the multitude of people with their varying ways of looking at the situation come to life as if creating a character of its own. Talking of Kashmir, the way this movie looks is spectacular, the cinematography is stunning as it captures Kashmir in all its natural glory. Add the masterful use of score and songs to it, and you get a product that is a delight to look and feel.
The first half of the movie takes its time, but the role it plays in fleshing out the characters, the place, and the various motivations running through, is undeniable. So, that when the second half starts going bonkers, it is spectacular to behold, just because of the foundation that has been laid out. Hamlet is probably one of the most complex characters to be written by Shakespeare.
The dilemma of what is right and what is wrong, the decision of what he should choose to believe, constantly weighs on him, and Shahid Kapoor is absolute perfection in his portrayal.
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The descent into the lunacy that his character has to go through is played with conviction. The chutzpah monologue is something else. And the ‘Bismil’ song, the connection it has to the original play, is perfection.
The one matching Shahid Kapoor is undoubtedly Tabu as Ghazala Meer. The Gertrude of the play, Tabu with her powerful performance, the sheer intensity she expresses with her eyes alone is brilliant. Her part has been written with remarkable depth, as it goes deep into her character, allowing the audience to actually get an idea of where she comes from.
Shraddha Kapoor as Arshi, and Kay Kay Menon as the uncle, are also great in their parts. But Irrfan Khan, you beauty. You know what an actor he is and he delivers.
It is towards the end of the first half that he appears, but the way he is introduced with the camera focussing on him as he approaches, with the music change in the background, you get an idea of the cinematic treat that is about to be unleashed upon you.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare trilogy is one of the best things to have come out of Bollywood and is a cinematic treat that should be experienced. Three movies that show what a powerhouse Bollywood can be.
My Verdict:
