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Review: Peepli Live
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Film: Peepli Live; It is a miracle that a script like Peepli Live has been turned into a movie and has got a commercial release. It is certainly surprising that a mainstream film maker like Aamir Khan decided to invest money in a movie that puts the spotlight on grave issues like the plight of Indian peasants. And, of course, kudos to journalist-turned-director Anusha Rizvi for penning down a story that focuses on rural India and its problems at a time when most Bollywood film makers are busy luring NRI audiences with mindless comedies and designer dramas. Anusha's directorial debut follows the theme of farmer suicides in Peepli Live - albeit as a satire. The film also takes a look at how media and politicians use such tragedies to up their TRPs and vote banks respectively. The real issue dies under their rat race. Set in a small village, the film follows the plight of a farmer's family. Natha (Omkar Das) and Budhiya (Raghuvir Yadav) are brothers who had taken a loan against their land. Their only source of livelihood is put under the hammer when they fail to repay the money. They try to seek the help of a local politician, whose job is to serve the people. But he shoos them away saying the government gives compensation to the families of those farmers who commit suicide. Initially, the brothers ignore the suggestion, but Budiya convinces Natha to sacrifice his life for the sake of the family. It's election time in the region and a local newspaper owner sends his reporter Rakesh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) - who otherwise doesn't want to budge from his comfort zone in search of stories to the village. Rakesh comes to know of Natha's decision to end his life and reports it. The news creates a sensation in the political arena and before it can be brushed under the carpet, somebody gives the lead of the Natha story to Nandita Malik (Malaika Shenoy), an elite English channel journalist. She grabs the opportunity and dashes off to Peepli as the news promises good TRPs. As soon as her report is flashed comes an avalanche of reporters to the village and there begins a media circus as every journalist vies to sensationalise the issue. Rakesh, who actually filed the story, becomes a mere puppet in the hands of Nandita and when he tries to tell her about another farmer's death, she refuses to report it as she doesn't see it as a TRP booster for her channel. The irony is that nobody be it reporters or politicians – tries to know why Natha decides to take his life. In fact, no one is interested in solving his problem as they have their own agendas. Peepli Live is a satire that shows the reality behind media houses, politicians, bureaucrats and their apathetic approach towards problems. But the script is written in a such a manner that it makes the audience laugh. First time director Anusha has not only written a taut script but also executed the story effectively. The actors - from Omkar Das, Raghuvir and Shalini Vatsa as Natha's short tempered wife Ohania to Malaika Shenoy and Vishal Sharma - are brilliant too.
If Omkar and Raghuvir bring
forth the sufferings of farmers, Shalini, an M Phil from Jawaharlal Nehru
University, should be applauded for playing the role with such ease and
perfection. Malaika and Vishal fit the bill of English and Hindi channel
reporters respectively. Courtesy: Oman Observer http://main.omanobserver.om/
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