**(Two Star )
Saluting Teen Martyrs
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sinkander Kher
Rating: two
Advice: Another loo…ong film from Gowariker’s arsenal – with very less emotional appeal or patriotic fervor. The teen armed rebels are comparable to today’s naxalites.
This is a paragraph from our history books that filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker elects to expand into a full-fledged three-hour-long feature! His intention is very noble but sadly his execution of the narrative is not. A patriotic saga from the 1930s when India was oppressed by the British rule and all across the country when a sentiment of dissent overtook everybody. So also in a small seaside Bengali town of Chittagong in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). A young team of teen-aged, dhoti clad team of footballers lost its football ground to a British military camp and they were so offended by the loss that they approached the local revolutionary leader – Surjya Sen (Abhishek Bachchan) for help. The indignant teens promised to help Surya in his cause if he got them back their playground.
Surjya Sen was a school teacher and was popularly known as Master da among his students. Along with his partners – Nirmal Sen (Sikander Kher), Ganesh Ghosh, Anant Singh and Amibika Chakraborty – he decided to initiate, recruit and train the teen rebels into his revolutionary army. Also they were joined by two lady soldiers - Kalpana Datta (Deepika Padukone) and Pritilata Waddedar (Vishakha SIngh). The teenagers as well as the young ladies in the revolutionary camp were trained rigorously in armed combat. Surjya Sen subscribed to the violent path of patriotism. He planned five simultaneous attacks on the local police station, cantonment head quarters, telegraph office, British club and the railway tracks in order to raid the armory as well as paralyze the British force in Chittagong by cutting off all modes of communication. A well-planned and executed plan that resonated a strong patriotic sentiment across India but ended in the tragic end of most of the teens on field and their leader Surjya being executed. A heroic story of sacrifices and martyrdom that ought to inspire teens today.
However Ashutosh Gowariker and Raoul Randolf’s screenplay, based on Manini Chatterjee’s book, fails to inspire and ignite that goes bumpy, lump-in-your-throat patriotic feel. The most touching part of this three-hour-narrative is the juxtaposed pictures of the real heroes with that of the actors in the end. Deepika’s resemblance to real life Kalpana Datta, who was relegated to life imprisonment, is uncanny.
However, the screenplay and dialogue aren’t rich or moving enough to evoke empathy for the martyrs. Ditto for Sohail Sen’s music score that doesn’t go with the pathos of the situation. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri's picturesque frames are strung together as a pretty garland in the film but the lovely montages don’t add up to much drama.
A special kudos to Nitin Desai for recreating the vintage era with perfect props like the jalopies, steam engines and of course the sets. Also the gunfire battles are intolerably repetitive. Dilip Deo’s edit needed to be much sharper. Mr Gowariker sadly hasn’t been able to weave in an engaging story in his film this time. As for the cast –
Abhishek Bachchan really doesn’t have much to do except pout broodingly in a dhoti. Sikander Kher has meatier role than the hero himself and he does well. Deepika fits in well into this retro beat but she also has no significant scenes. The teen actors are interesting but not impressive.
So as I leave the theatre, all I recall is the rolling titles depicting the real revolutionaries. And a footnote in my mind about scenic Sawantwadi fort in Konkan – as a must visit destination! If you must, wait for the tele-premiere of the film. Sure to come in soon.
Saluting Teen Martyrs
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sinkander Kher
Rating: two
Advice: Another loo…ong film from Gowariker’s arsenal – with very less emotional appeal or patriotic fervor. The teen armed rebels are comparable to today’s naxalites.
This is a paragraph from our history books that filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker elects to expand into a full-fledged three-hour-long feature! His intention is very noble but sadly his execution of the narrative is not. A patriotic saga from the 1930s when India was oppressed by the British rule and all across the country when a sentiment of dissent overtook everybody. So also in a small seaside Bengali town of Chittagong in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). A young team of teen-aged, dhoti clad team of footballers lost its football ground to a British military camp and they were so offended by the loss that they approached the local revolutionary leader – Surjya Sen (Abhishek Bachchan) for help. The indignant teens promised to help Surya in his cause if he got them back their playground.
Surjya Sen was a school teacher and was popularly known as Master da among his students. Along with his partners – Nirmal Sen (Sikander Kher), Ganesh Ghosh, Anant Singh and Amibika Chakraborty – he decided to initiate, recruit and train the teen rebels into his revolutionary army. Also they were joined by two lady soldiers - Kalpana Datta (Deepika Padukone) and Pritilata Waddedar (Vishakha SIngh). The teenagers as well as the young ladies in the revolutionary camp were trained rigorously in armed combat. Surjya Sen subscribed to the violent path of patriotism. He planned five simultaneous attacks on the local police station, cantonment head quarters, telegraph office, British club and the railway tracks in order to raid the armory as well as paralyze the British force in Chittagong by cutting off all modes of communication. A well-planned and executed plan that resonated a strong patriotic sentiment across India but ended in the tragic end of most of the teens on field and their leader Surjya being executed. A heroic story of sacrifices and martyrdom that ought to inspire teens today.
However Ashutosh Gowariker and Raoul Randolf’s screenplay, based on Manini Chatterjee’s book, fails to inspire and ignite that goes bumpy, lump-in-your-throat patriotic feel. The most touching part of this three-hour-narrative is the juxtaposed pictures of the real heroes with that of the actors in the end. Deepika’s resemblance to real life Kalpana Datta, who was relegated to life imprisonment, is uncanny.
However, the screenplay and dialogue aren’t rich or moving enough to evoke empathy for the martyrs. Ditto for Sohail Sen’s music score that doesn’t go with the pathos of the situation. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri's picturesque frames are strung together as a pretty garland in the film but the lovely montages don’t add up to much drama.
A special kudos to Nitin Desai for recreating the vintage era with perfect props like the jalopies, steam engines and of course the sets. Also the gunfire battles are intolerably repetitive. Dilip Deo’s edit needed to be much sharper. Mr Gowariker sadly hasn’t been able to weave in an engaging story in his film this time. As for the cast –
Abhishek Bachchan really doesn’t have much to do except pout broodingly in a dhoti. Sikander Kher has meatier role than the hero himself and he does well. Deepika fits in well into this retro beat but she also has no significant scenes. The teen actors are interesting but not impressive.
So as I leave the theatre, all I recall is the rolling titles depicting the real revolutionaries. And a footnote in my mind about scenic Sawantwadi fort in Konkan – as a must visit destination! If you must, wait for the tele-premiere of the film. Sure to come in soon.
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