MOVIE REVIEW 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' Vidhu Vinod Chopra's propulsive 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' has epic sweep.
- By John Anderson Special to The Times February 16, 2007
Maybe it's the trains.Maybe it's the camels.Maybe it's the intermission. No matter: Something about "Eklavya: The Royal Guard" suggests a lost film by David Lean.With some muted echoes of "Hamlet." And a whiff of "Rigoletto."
Like so many Indian movies that make their way to Los Angeles, "Eklavya" - based on the low-caste warrior hero of "The Mahabharata" - is a movie masala.Unlike so many, thisstirring dramatic feature by Kashmiri director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, his first in seven years, marries its varied elements - in this case modernity and classicism,current-day India and its feudal past, contemporary corruption and blood tradition - in a coherent and propulsive fashion.There may be songs,but they are not sung by kohl-eyed virgins in rainstorms; there may be excess, but "camp" is thelast thing one would call "Eklavya." Something is rotten in Devigarh, an ancient Shangri-La of royal pretense, where the aging but still lethal Eklavya (Bollywood vet Amitabh Bachchan) protects the all-but-powerless king (Boman Irani). When the queen (Sharmila Tagore) calls out on her deathbed for Eklavya, the jealous sovereign strangles her, unleashing a tempest that will bring the brooding prince, Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), home from London, and a whole world tumbling down. Chopra and co-writer Abhijit Joshi's portrayal of characters according to sex or caste is a bit dubious. Harsh's Ophelia-like twin, Nandini (Raima Sen), is more silly than disturbed; Rajjo (Vidya Balan) is Harsh's Sabrina (she's even the chauffeur's daughter). And the "untouchable" policeman, Pannalal (Sanjay Dutt), is simply a goofball. Harsh himself might have seemed the more obvious choice of protagonist in this melodrama of honor and revenge, but it is Eklavya who provides the far more potent and complex hero. He is faced with an insurmountable dilemma: Whether to honor the code of the royal guard or spare the life of his son. Chopra and his cinematographer, Nataraja Subramanian, create startling images that are used for seduction or, just as often, alarm: The shift in energy and rhythms and the velocity of the action keep the viewer off balance yet always in the flow of the story. There are dry spots, but Chopra is aspiring to epic cinema, both in his themes and his visuals, and most of the time it works. And, yes, there really is an intermission, just in case one needs to catch one's breath.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Lage Raho stuns Cannes
Mumbai 21st May, 07:
Lage Raho Munnabhai is still winning hearts across the globe. A packed screening on the 19th with the director Rajkumar Hirani present, the film was a huge hit with the entire the entire audiences. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani were in Cannes for the screening but producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had to return just before the screening as his mother took ill.
The screening of the movie at the Festival saw people sitting on the aisles as the theatre was completely packed. The film was screened in the ‘Les Cinemas du Monde' section which screened the best of world cinema on 19th of May 07. The 200 seater theatre was packed to capacity and had 80% of White audiences. There was also a big group of French students and clapped till the credits were finished.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya will be showcased at Cannes in the same section on the 24th of May
Lage Raho Munnabhai is still winning hearts across the globe. A packed screening on the 19th with the director Rajkumar Hirani present, the film was a huge hit with the entire the entire audiences. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani were in Cannes for the screening but producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had to return just before the screening as his mother took ill.
The screening of the movie at the Festival saw people sitting on the aisles as the theatre was completely packed. The film was screened in the ‘Les Cinemas du Monde' section which screened the best of world cinema on 19th of May 07. The 200 seater theatre was packed to capacity and had 80% of White audiences. There was also a big group of French students and clapped till the credits were finished.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya will be showcased at Cannes in the same section on the 24th of May
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Lage Raho Munnabhai & Eklavya at Cannes this year
After having got several prestigious awards and appreciation by the audiences and the industry, Lage Raho Munnabhai will now be showcased at Cannes this year. The film will be screened in the ‘Les Cinemas du Monde' section which screens the best of world cinema on 19th of May 07.
Inaugurated by the Festival de Cannes in 2005, the ambition of 'Tous les Cinemas du Monde' section is to illustrate the vitality and diversity of cinema throughout the world, the dynamism of its young creative talent and the involvement of its institutions in promoting international cinema.
Along with Lage Raho, Vinod’s own directorial film EKLAVYA will also screened at Cannes on the 24th of May. The film is being screened in the market section.
Eklavya is all set for an art house release in the US this summer.
Inaugurated by the Festival de Cannes in 2005, the ambition of 'Tous les Cinemas du Monde' section is to illustrate the vitality and diversity of cinema throughout the world, the dynamism of its young creative talent and the involvement of its institutions in promoting international cinema.
Along with Lage Raho, Vinod’s own directorial film EKLAVYA will also screened at Cannes on the 24th of May. The film is being screened in the market section.
Eklavya is all set for an art house release in the US this summer.
Friday, March 30, 2007
UCLA Screening
EKLAVYA STUNS HOLLYWOOD
Mumbai 26th March, 07:
Eklavya- The Royal Guard, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s stylish epic stunned Hollywood luminaries at a special screening on Saturday, March 24 at UCLA. The screening was jointly sponsored at the Billy Wilder theater by UCLA and MCorpGlobal. The audience viewed the film in awed silence which was broken only for the prolonged applause and standing ovation at the end of the film.
Robert L. Friedman, the former President of Columbia Pictures and AMC Theaters applauded it as one of the great foreign films to have graced Hollywood in recent years. He expressed hope that the film will become India’s official entry for the Oscars. Dr. Rob Rosen, the Dean of UCLA’s film program found the film to be a kin of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s magic realism. Lionel Wigram, Producer of the Harry Potter films, said “he had seen nothing like this." Jeffery Silver, Producer of the film 300, found it to be “a thriller that elevates to the level of art.” Before the film, Ashok Amritraj introduced Vidhu Vinod Chopra to the audience as India’s “terrific” director
Mumbai 26th March, 07:
Eklavya- The Royal Guard, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s stylish epic stunned Hollywood luminaries at a special screening on Saturday, March 24 at UCLA. The screening was jointly sponsored at the Billy Wilder theater by UCLA and MCorpGlobal. The audience viewed the film in awed silence which was broken only for the prolonged applause and standing ovation at the end of the film.
Robert L. Friedman, the former President of Columbia Pictures and AMC Theaters applauded it as one of the great foreign films to have graced Hollywood in recent years. He expressed hope that the film will become India’s official entry for the Oscars. Dr. Rob Rosen, the Dean of UCLA’s film program found the film to be a kin of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s magic realism. Lionel Wigram, Producer of the Harry Potter films, said “he had seen nothing like this." Jeffery Silver, Producer of the film 300, found it to be “a thriller that elevates to the level of art.” Before the film, Ashok Amritraj introduced Vidhu Vinod Chopra to the audience as India’s “terrific” director
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Tonight - IOL review
Movie Review: Eklavya
February 23, 2007 By Debashine Thangevelo
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jimmy Shergill and Raima Sen
Classification: TBA
Rating : ****
If Eklavya is the result of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's six-year absence from the director's seat, I'm all for him taking more breaks. His last movie, Mission Kashmir (2000), also enjoyed rave reviews, with Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan heading the cast.Chopra has bagged Bollywood's finest veterans headed by Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt, for his latest venture, which he also penned.As Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), the queen of Devigarh, a centuries-old citadel in Rajasthan, lies on her death bed, she cries out for Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), the royal guard. Eklavya's family has been protecting the fort, the king and its secrets for nine generations. King Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), horrified by the queen's deception, strangles her. Not long after that, Prince Harshwardan (Saif Ali Khan), who stayed in London to escape the suffocating traditions of his land, is summoned back to the fort to perform the last rites for his mother. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and childhood sweetheart Rajjo (Vidya Balan), are ecstatic about his return . But all is not well in the kingdom. Against the backdrop of angry farmers who have had their land taken away, the king is plotting the demise of Eklavya, who, as it turns out, is the prince and princess' real father.Meanwhile, inspector Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt) is called in to investigate a death threat received by the king.Chopra has woven a spellbinding tale that is dexterously executed. Each character is well-etched and all the stars get ample scope.Bachchan delivers a first-rate performance as a father torn between his duty and his love for his son. Ali Khan plays his character with flair, while Dutt and Balan are adequate in their respective roles. The lavish sets capture the royal era magnificently and the traditional garb and costume jewellery lend authenticity to the narrative. Excellent cinematography pits rustic splendour against regal opulence.This is a truly remarkable film that will keep you rivetted from start to finish.
February 23, 2007 By Debashine Thangevelo
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jimmy Shergill and Raima Sen
Classification: TBA
Rating : ****
If Eklavya is the result of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's six-year absence from the director's seat, I'm all for him taking more breaks. His last movie, Mission Kashmir (2000), also enjoyed rave reviews, with Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan heading the cast.Chopra has bagged Bollywood's finest veterans headed by Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt, for his latest venture, which he also penned.As Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), the queen of Devigarh, a centuries-old citadel in Rajasthan, lies on her death bed, she cries out for Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), the royal guard. Eklavya's family has been protecting the fort, the king and its secrets for nine generations. King Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), horrified by the queen's deception, strangles her. Not long after that, Prince Harshwardan (Saif Ali Khan), who stayed in London to escape the suffocating traditions of his land, is summoned back to the fort to perform the last rites for his mother. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and childhood sweetheart Rajjo (Vidya Balan), are ecstatic about his return . But all is not well in the kingdom. Against the backdrop of angry farmers who have had their land taken away, the king is plotting the demise of Eklavya, who, as it turns out, is the prince and princess' real father.Meanwhile, inspector Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt) is called in to investigate a death threat received by the king.Chopra has woven a spellbinding tale that is dexterously executed. Each character is well-etched and all the stars get ample scope.Bachchan delivers a first-rate performance as a father torn between his duty and his love for his son. Ali Khan plays his character with flair, while Dutt and Balan are adequate in their respective roles. The lavish sets capture the royal era magnificently and the traditional garb and costume jewellery lend authenticity to the narrative. Excellent cinematography pits rustic splendour against regal opulence.This is a truly remarkable film that will keep you rivetted from start to finish.
Radiotimes - Eklavya review
Eklavya: the Royal Guard (2007)
****
Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra brings his trademark visual panache to this contemporary tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal set in Rajasthan. Amitabh Bachchan plays a royal guard to one of the kings of the ancient Ruritanian dynasty, whose loyalty is severely tested following the death of the queen and the return of the prince (Saif Ali Khan). As the peasants suffer under the weight of the king's murderous authority, terrifying secrets are revealed. Bolstered by a mighty performance from Bachchan, Eklavya delivers a particularly visceral kind of historical spectacle that Bollywood audiences haven't seen in decades. Also superb is Vidya Balan who is utterly convincing as Khan's love interest.
****
Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra brings his trademark visual panache to this contemporary tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal set in Rajasthan. Amitabh Bachchan plays a royal guard to one of the kings of the ancient Ruritanian dynasty, whose loyalty is severely tested following the death of the queen and the return of the prince (Saif Ali Khan). As the peasants suffer under the weight of the king's murderous authority, terrifying secrets are revealed. Bolstered by a mighty performance from Bachchan, Eklavya delivers a particularly visceral kind of historical spectacle that Bollywood audiences haven't seen in decades. Also superb is Vidya Balan who is utterly convincing as Khan's love interest.
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