| Release Date: 30 January 2004 (India) Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller IMDb Rating: 8.1 Director: Vishal Bhardwaj Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Piyush Mishra |
The first movie in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare trilogy is an Indianized adaptation of the Bard’s Macbeth.
Transferring the settings from the palaces of Scotland to the underworld of Mumbai, the story focuses on Maqbool, a central figure in the high ranks of Abbaji, a powerful Mumbai don, and dreams of succeeding him eventually. A desire which is hastened by two prophesying policemen, under Abbaji’s payroll, and further fuelled by the seductive words of Nimmi, Abbaji’s wife with whom Maqbool is having an affair.
Knowing Macbeth beforehand helped me better appreciate how magnificently Bhardwaj has put an Indian spin to the characters and the settings and picking up all the minor homages to the actual work and the story that are peppered throughout—adding an extra layer of satisfaction.
The movie does deviate from the source, but that is not an issue as it works in the context of what is presented.
As for the issues of the film, it feels unpolished and rough around the edges. As for why that is, probably could be the relative inexperience of the director who was new to the scene at the time, or most likely budgetary constraints, because this is not the kind of movie which will gain financial support easily, not being the typical Bollywood fare. Besides that, some of the editing is wonky, and at times scenes cut away abruptly.
The entire cast is stacked with behemoths of acting talent. Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Piyush Mishra, among others. And it is their stellar performances that spectacularly elevates the script.
Tabu, as Nimmi, is the Lady Macbeth of the movie. Probably the most brilliantly developed character of the play, her part is the most pivotal, and Tabu gives yet another testament to her greatness. Irrfan Khan is great as Maqbool, but kind of gets overshadowed by the other spectacular performances.
The three witches in the play have been substituted by the two policemen played by Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah. And those two are an absolute blast to watch whenever they are onscreen. Two veterans, who seem to be having pure fun with their parts, as they deliver remarkable performances.
But the true standout is one whose character in the original play, didn’t leave as much impact on me. And that is King Duncan or Abbaji in the context of Maqbool.
Pankaj Kapoor gives a tour de force of a performance, with his kohl-eyed quietly menacing turn, he towers above all, as in his silences and quiet demeanor he hides the sheer power he holds, a power that has put him in the position he is in.
Even after all these years, Maqbool remains one of the undeniable high points of Bollywood cinema and a starting point for a spectacular trilogy.
My Verdict:
