Guru – Memorable!!!

(And Mani Sir is a south Indian… hence the review)

Celluloid - biography. Abhishek plays the role of Gurukanth Desai a villager from gujurat who goes on to build “hindustan ka sabse bada company”. The movie unfolds with Guru leaving to Istanbul in search of fortune. His early days in Istanbul are recreated to perfection and well spiced up with Mallika’s item number. He returns back to his village to start his own business and the journey heats up from here. He meets the teary Sujatha (Aishwarya Rai) who is trying to elope on the train. This scene was a let down compared to the directors earlier films where the hero and heroine meet in a very interesting sort of a way… be it Agni Nakshatram, Roja etc; Nevertheless, the rest of the chemistry in the film is captured well. After his marriage to Sujatha they arrive in Bombay with his Saala in hand to partner in the new business venture. He meets Mithun, who is done a commendable job as the owner of a national newspaper. It is indeed a very dignified re launch for an actor of his caliber. Thanks to the director. Gurus climb to success is narrated with slick photo shots as he goes on to build the polyester empire in India.

The second half slows down with the new characters of Madhavan and Vidya Balan, too big a star cast for people inconsequential to the film. Well Madhavan can how ever be excused as he added some youthful zest as the representative of the old mithun as the anatogonist. But Vidya Balan is totally lost in this capitalist war but nevertheless trying hard to justify whatever little part she got her way. The progress towards the climax was slow but moving. The eternal optimist Guru crushed and lying lost on the hospital bed wouldn’t have touched you if not for Abhishek’s convincing performance… the most important thing holding up the film.

The climax was good with great performances from Abhishek and Ash… but the story does not justify completely. It dampened the spirit of moral cinema leaving us with an unsettling dilemma. But at the end Guru is a memorable film. I doubt the mass appeal but will certainly go down well with the classes.