DISCOVERED – OMKARA

I was not even fifteen when Omkara released, so watching it then was out of the question. The film had created a fairly good buzz because of its ensemble and the instant popularity gained by a couple of songs. The film was critically acclaimed, and Vishal Bhardwaj was lauded for adapting ‘Othello‘ the way he did, but the man who became the talking point after Omkara was Saif Ali Khan, who literally blew everybody’s minds with his exceptional performance.

Saif Ali Khan despite playing a supporting part, stole the show by living his character of Ishwar, aka Langda Tyagi in its truest form. The passion we witness in Saif Ali Khan’s performance was sort of unprecedented not just in the actor’s career but also in the space of a Hindi film antagonist. His reaction to not being chosen as Ajay Devgn’s successor, the angst felt when Deepak Dobriyal reminds him of that loss and his terrified face in the climax after realising that Ajay Devgn knows about his evil plans are all brilliant examples of mastering in understanding the character. Saif Ali Khan makes us sense the jealousy and the manipulative nature of Langda Tyagi by brilliantly performing his once in a lifetime kind of role.

Ajay Devgn gets easily manipulated by Saif Ali Khan almost throughout the film and is in his regular intense mode, delivering a power-packed performance like always, but in the climax, changing the expressions within a fraction of a second, expressing guilt through his eyes leaves us numb for a moment. Ajay Devgn owns his character with his admirably serious performance. Vivek Oberoi also leaves a lasting impression. The mental and emotional transformation he portrays in his earnest performance wins us. His character gives a slight western touch to the film, and Vivek Oberoi carries that trait quite nicely. Naseeruddin Shah, in his limited role, carried the zeal of a leading part, also making his act stand out in this ensemble. Debutante Deepak Dobriyal effortlessly excelled in his role.

Konkona Sensharma rightfully deserved the National Film Award for her performance in Omkara. Characters like Indu are sort of a cakewalk for an actor of her calibre, but continuously shining in them is an art Konkona has mastered. Her character lacks excitement for most of the part, but her scene with Ajay Devgn where she says, ”agni se bhi nikal jaye toh bhi hum aurat saghe nahi thage keh laave” displays the depressing plight of women in its truest form and the powerful avatar she takes in the climax is absolutely praiseworthy.

Kareena Kapoor came across as a pleasant surprise. Looking at the kind of roles she played till then, nailing her act in Omkara wasn’t expected. The sincerity she displayed in her performance was highly impressive, but her expressions on Ajay Devgn’s violent behaviour towards her and reaction to his dirty allegations make us laud her. Bipasha Basu, in her special appearance, delivered a remarkable performance. The performance of every actor stayed with me for the longest time. I feel these were the career-best performances of every actor in the film, and I may remember Omkara in future primarily because of them. Special credit to everyone for getting the accent perfect.

Vishal Bhardwaj should be declared the master of adaptations. His retelling style of these popular stories makes him a genius director. The kind of setup he created in Omkara was commendable, and its topical nature makes us like it instantly. He transports us to a specific land with which the Indian viewers can connect easily. The language spoken in the film gives it a distinct flavour, making it even more fascinating. Its abusive nature wasn’t offensive at all. The gentle spotlight on caste and politics amidst this human drama spices up things. The locations are also phenomenal. A simple bridge is made to look exquisite by capturing it in the best possible light. I was mesmerised by that hilltop on which Ajay Devgn selected Vivek Oberoi as his successor.

Omkara is fairly slow-paced, but there isn’t a dull moment. Even though the premise looks oversimplified, the interesting characters in it keep us invested in every single moment of the film. Situations like Deepak Dobriyal distributing cards of his ex-lover’s wedding and arranging the horse for the groom are sympathetically funny. Vishal Bhardwaj enthrals us quite easily in the rustic world. I loved the editing style of the last twenty minutes with frequent blackouts intensifying the mood. The title appears after the most crucial and popular dialogue, ”jo apne baap ko thag sakti hai, woh kisi aur ki kya sagi hogi”. Despite this distasteful remark on women, the film unapologetically shows the insecurity in men. Also, the director’s credit appears after the title song is uniquely noteworthy. The action in the film is striking because it looks more organic than well-designed. I thoroughly enjoyed the action in the title track.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s compositions of Omkara deserve a special place in our playlist, but he creates an excellent example by cleverly utilising them to make the narrative more effective. Naina forms the base of Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor’s relationship. The title track gives us an idea about Ajay Devgn’s profession. Beedi is the most fun song in the entire album and has a twist that affects the overall story was a surprise. Development in that twist in O Saathi Re while Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor passionately love each other, and later strengthening it in another fun track Namak levels up the excitement. Laakad, along with expressing Kareena Kapoor’s state of mind, is all about creating the right mood for the finale. Jaag Ja playing twice is a lovely example of using the same song in different scenarios and making sense of both. No amount of praise can do justice to the hauntingly beautiful background score of the film. It’s just goosebumps.

In 2006, Rang De Basanti inspired the youngsters by communicating in their lingo. Dhoom 2 and Don were the most stylishly made films of that year. Lage Raho Munna Bhai made the nation crazy with gandhigiri and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna impressed with its foreign locations. Amidst these cool films, Vishal Bhardwaj confidently struck the right balance between being rooted and modern in Omkara. The setup of the film was quite traditional but in a contemporary world. The costumes and village setup gave the film a rustic touch, which made it very unique.

I saw Omkara after fifteen years and wasn’t surprised to feel amazed by it. It’s one of its kind thrills. In the trailer Gulzar says ”jahaan barood mein saans lete hai, aur bandook se baat karte hai, wahaan kisi ko dil ki dhadkan bhi sunai de gayi”. It beautifully sums up Omkara. This one is undoubtedly one of the finest works of Vishal Bhardwaj. The more we watch it, the more we love it.