After much drama, the biopic of Narendra Modi, PM Narendra Modi A story of billion people, starring Vivek Oberoi has released today.
Vivek Oberoi couldn’t have scripted a better come back as a lead actor into Bollywood. Releasing just after a day of the humungous BJP victory, the movie is sure to catch a few eyeballs. Probably one thing which Vivek Oberoi could have done better is acting as most of it seems a poor imitation of one of the most popular leaders of the country.
The film opens with a disclaimer which says the film is “historically inauthentic” which in other words can be called propaganda. This comes as no surprise. Right from its posters and teasers, we knew that it is going to be a propaganda film but we couldn’t have imagined the extent it has gone onto achieve it. Vivek Oberoi himself has said in interviews that this is a biased account. Let’s get that out there first.
Barely comes close to be called as a watchable film
The story of Narendra Modi from a Chaiwala to being the Prime Minister of the second largest democracy is surely inspiring. If it was done right, the film also could have been inspiring. Instead, we get a film based on conspiracy theories, myths and the aura of the personality. It seems like a film made by a bunch of fans of the personality. Even then, it barely comes close to be called as a watchable film.
Since his childhood, we are shown that the young Narendra Modi has been patriotic towards his country. They go as far as showing that the first word uttered by the boy is apparently a political slogan. The film is unapologetically glorified account of the PM, the nation and even the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh.
Painted All Black
The film takes on the Gandhi family heads on as it blames them of being the only hurdle to the development of India. They are the villains. They are not characters with grey shade, Omung Kumar, the director, clearly knows them inside out that they have been painted all black. The what if question of had Sardar Vallabhai Patel been the First Prime Minister comes across very often.
Vivek Oberoi Is An Utter Failure
Vivek Oberoi is failed by both his acting and prosthetics. The number of white and grey hair keeps fluctuating which might irritate you if you are a person with an eye for detail but who cares? Vivek Oberoi’s walk, his eyes, and his hand gestures are never in sync. This performance makes us wonder that Anupam Kher’s performance as Manmohan Singh might just be Oscar deserving.
The one thing the film tries hard to do is to sugarcoat the blot in Modi’s career; the Godhra riots. The truth and facts here go for a toss. The riots which lasted for three days is shown to be under control in less than 24 hours.
The riots are shown to be conspiracy theories of the neighboring states and that the Gujarat government had nothing to do with it. It is shown as a Congress-led conspiracy theory to malign Modi’s image that barely existed back then.
The Film Is A One-Man Show
Narendra Modi is shown to be the Unifier of Hindus and Muslims and that the minorities love him more than the majority. The film is quick to contradict itself with a scene where a Muslim pretends to be a Hindu by shouting the slogans of “Jai Shree Ram” in order to stay alive in the riots.
Some of the dialogues are cringe worthy especially when a young Modi serving chai spots people discussing politics and says, “Chai pe charcha is shiksha without karcha”. There is another one where Vivek Oberoi, a prosthetic version of the PM, looks into the camera and says “Modi ek soch hai”.
The film is a one-man show. Narendra Modi overpowers everyone in the film. No, not Vivek Oberoi, the real-life PM is the true hero of the film and apparently of the country as well.
One can say that Omung Kumar lost an opportunity to tell a story which could inspire people and made a film which can put people to sleep unless one is a huge fan of the PM. With the recent results on the cards, the film might get a sequel and let’s hope they make a good film then.
