Guru

Whether Guru is the dramatized rise and rise of a leading Indian businessman or a work of fiction that just takes a few threads from the life of one of Indian corporate history's most controversial men, is not a matter of consequence; but what does matter is that in its efforts to disguise the nastier aspects of the rise and the several compromises on ethics made along the way to the top, the film dilutes the study of the true nature of the ambitious Gurukant Desai. The result is a biopic that delves into only certain sensational aspects of the real-life man, toning down the more questionable machinations of the character that would have made great drama; since it's no secret, and the ubiquitous similarities between film and real-life are too many to ignore, this story has not just Ambani but Goenka, Wadia and Gandhi as its many players, and Gurukant becoming Gurubhai is the film's heart, beating steadily but weakly through the two-hour-forty-five minute lifespan. While the banned book, The Polyester Prince: The Rise of Dhirubhai Ambani, by Hamish McDonald, was a rather explicit and bold account of the rise of capitalism, the license raj and the advent of a simple but calculative Gujarati in the business world of Bombay, using all means, fair and foul, to establish his empire, Mani Ratnam's Guru is the other extreme, a good film but without the dramatic edge that the original inspirational material afforded. The design to refrain from using real names for obvious reasons makes one wonder whether the need for treading safely on potentially strong dramatic content and in the exercise losing spark, was really necessary. But even without the much required spark, the business of making money is good celluloid material, and director Mani Ratnam understands that well; the business of living one's dream is better celluloid material, and the lethal combination of the two is the best, exploited well by the veteran craftsman by keeping the narrative simple, almost as simple as Gurubhai's own business sense and intellect. Master Kantilal's son, Guru, has a dream that starts in a small village in Gujarat, moves to Istanbul and is added some colour to by a gyrating belly dancer played by Mallika Sherawat in a bit part, perhaps to win the front benchers and the younger contemporary plex audience who may find a villager's story a bit too bland for the price of admission. It then returns home to the village and is scoffed at by his father, who has never seen success in enterprise, and believes in service. The first encounter with romance is also laced with money, and when Sujata bids adieu to her father for a non-descript Bhanu Patel, only to receive a letter of rejection with the reason being lack of courage, in comes Guru. He marries Sujata for a hefty dowry, in order to raise the capital he needs to start his enterprise, in partnership with his brother-in-law. Moving to the city of money and initiative, Bombay, the trader is born. From trading to setting up factories, the ascent is quick and unfolds with excitement, but sadly whether the end justifies the means is a question the director leaves unanswered. Corruption, bribery, compromises are mentioned but glossed over by the maker, and many more serious steps to success like the shell investment companies, the insider trading, duplicate shares' issue, minister lobbying, etc. are not delved into. The attack on the newspaper magnate is shown, but it is shown as executed at the behest of his right-hand unbeknownst to Guru himself, and that too only as a means to scare-off the newspaper. Yes, good drama must have a hero at its pivot, and to taint the hero would weaken the applause the material plays for; but this also renders the protagonist two-dimensional. However, Abhishek Bachchan as Guru is in great form, bringing to life the villager and his dream with credibility, determined to realize his vision in the face of all adversity, be it opponents in business or family. Aishwarya Rai as Sujata is subtle and slips into the village girl's role with ease, bringing out the aspirations of a young girl wanting to move on in life, away from the four walls of her village confines. Rajendra Gupta as Guru's father is authoritative and lends able support to the well-selected cast. But it is Mithun Chakraborty who steals the show, simply superb in the role of the righteous newspaper magnate, Manik Dasgupta, who stands for everything that is moral and right, willing to let go of relationships and bonds that threaten their sanctity. Madhavan as his young protégé, Shyam Saxena, is also a great casting call, and Vidya Balan as the wheelchair-ridden daughter afflicted with multiple sclerosis also does well under the veteran filmmaker's able guidance. The denouement where Gurubhai speaks in his own defence, overcoming a speech incapacitation rendered by a paralytic attack, is a bit far-fetched, but can be excused under poetic license. It is a powerful speech, almost an explanation that serves well for all that has been resorted to in order to reach the top. Alas, the film doesn't really show that a lot has been resorted to. The music by A. R. Rahman is impressive, with Barso Re as Aishwarya's introduction being the best, and the background is apt, supporting the narrative well. But this lengthy biopic would have played better without a couple of songs slowing its pace, and the same playing time could have been used to add more meat to the characters. The low-point is the song post Sujata's realization that she was married only for dowry, and the reconciliation lacks conviction. A song that the film decidedly can do without is Ek Lo Ek Muft, the celebration when twins are born to Guru. Rajiv Menon's cinematography is also very good and aesthetically the film is top-notch, but the lensing could have been better, tracking the passage of time across decades with greater demarcation. Worthy of mention are the other players like Manoj Joshi as Guru's right hand through his rise, Arya Babbar as the brother-in-law, and Roshan Seth as the heavyweight presiding over the finale inquiry proceedings, making you realize that Ratnam is a master at understanding characters and the right actors required to bring them alive on the big screen. Wish he would not have been so guarded in his interpretation of the eponymous character itself and would have let all of Guru's colours, grey included, spill onto the canvas.