Review : Apaharan

Rating : Above average (3.65/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2005
Running time : 2 hrs and 52 minutes
Director : Prakash Jha
Cast : Ajay Devgan, Bipasha Basu, Nana Patekar, Mohan Agashe, Yashpal Sharma, Ayub Khan, Mukesh Tiwari

APAHARAN : Grim reality makes interesting cinema

This is another “socially realistic” film from Prakash Jha, after Gangajal, and does have shades of Gangajal in it, in the power-packed dialogues, and the grim depiction of reality. Apaharan is the story of the Bihar kidnappings, and one honest man’s entanglement in the (comparatively) easy life of crime. Devgan plays Ajay, son of a true, country-loving and corruption-hating activist Raghuvansh Shastri (Agashe). Ajay wishes to join the police force, but is thwarted by the corrupt system. Frustrated and angry, he is slowly drawn into a life of crime, working with local mafioso Tabrez Alam (Patekar) and emerging from it seems difficult.

This is a trademark Jha film, thus interesting. Prepare yourself for depressing depictions of corruption and self-serving politicians (or you could watch the “sting” operations on TV), because this is what Jha does well – bring out the glaring underbelly of crime into the limelight. As in Gangajal, women do not figure too much in the film. There’s Bipasha, but she’s there primarily for the visual appeal, and there are no other female characters besides her. Basu plays Ajay’s going-to-be-doctor (really Basu’s too old to be playing a teen now) girlfriend who wishes to stand by him, but marries another man, when Ajay takes to crime. Besides not looking the part, Bipasha has very little to do – but she does it allright. Ayub Khan appears as Ajay’s loyal friend, who joins him in the new life of crime.

Direction is good, although the film drags a bit during the second half. Dialogues are “real” and pack a punch. The villains, as expected are odious, but well-drawn – Gaya (Yashpal Sharma), Tabrez’s right hand man is shown operating from the safety of a jail, where he is free to come and go. Patekar is his usual, psychotic self, portraying ruthless and conniving Tabrez to the hilt. Most of the actors do well, with Sharma and Agashe shining in smaller roles. Tiwari plays honest SP Khan, who is hot in pursuit of Tabrz and Ajay, and gives an effective performance. Devgan himself is very good, although he now shows his age.

All-in-all a good film. Hard-hitting and depressing – yes. But well worth your time, if you’re up for it.