Directed by: Anusha Rizvi
Rating: 3.5/5
Brothers Budhiya (Raghubir Yadav) and Natha (Omkar Das), are farmers who are on the verge of loosing their mortgaged land to the bank due to their failure to repay a loan. They approach a local politician and headman for help, who mocks at them and suggests that one of them, should commit suicide, which was one way of getting some money in the form of compensation from the government. Natha (who is the younger brother) is made the fall guy as he reluctantly and naively commits to committing a suicide, never for a moment giving an impression that he, or anybody else around him for that matter, is even remotely serious about it. But what ensues is a brazen game of political and TRP one-upmanship played out by making the death/suicide of Natha into a farcical spectacle.
Peepli live, more than anything else, wonderfully manages to do what it probably seeks out to do – make a statement. It makes a statement on the hopelessly lamentable state of affairs of the pivotal pillars of any democracy – its polity and its media. The screenplay of the movie is top notch. Anusha Rizvi does excellent job, bringing due credibility and respect to the director’s chair that she adorns. The rustic ways and gullibility of villagers have been captured beautifully. Outside of Naseeruddin Shah, the fact that Raghuvir Yadav is the only well-known face, speaks something about the newness of the entire cast. Not that anyone of them disappoints, in fact, each one of them has put up a delightful performance by either being naturally suited for the role or getting perfectly under the skin of their characters. Either way, the casting of the movie is not only brave but is also spot on. (Watch out especially for Amma – played by Farrukh Jaffar - the mother of Natha and Budhiya) The background score and music is melodious, giving an apt packaging and feel to the plot.
There are some genuinely funny and satirical moments in the movie. Sample this: the agriculture minister (played by Naseerudin Shah) suggesting ‘industrialization’ as the solution to the endless woes of farmers; the village hospital where the unaided patient is left to fend for himself as he hooks up the saline drip on his own, or Natha’s son asking him “bapu tum kab mar rahe ho batao na?”. Media receives its own share of pungent ridicule – to a great extent, rightly so - as you hear about a ‘Kaddu Main Om’ story that had made waves, the mad dash of OV vans to Natha’s house for covering ‘Live Suicide’, or the planted bites the journos get out of the villagers. Of particular mention is the analysis by one sham of a journalist of Natha’s turd, linking the colour of the stool to the psychological state of the person! (Yuk guys, seriously shame on you. You are actually capable of doing this.)
Politicians are also scoffed at and the administration is quite rightly depicted to be as rule bound and insensitive. The scene in which the officials, quite hurriedly arrange to give Natha and his family a hand-pump – named Lal Bahadur – as a solution to their plight, is hilarious. All this while, Natha remains a helpless spectator to his own impending death. The climax of the movie is also interesting and the slightly twisted end is actually befitting to the plot and the entire screenplay.
While, what Peepli Live intends or chooses to do is undoubtedly top stuff; the things that it chooses not to do or leaves half-done, threaten to bring the movie a notch down. Amidst all the politics and media bashing, Peepli Live does touch upon the plight of poor farmers, but only in a very subtle and limited manner. Peepli Live drives home a point while paying only a cursory tribute to another, probably more important one.
Peepli Live entertains, moves and most important of all, sends a message. All of you who always wanted to slap those unscrupulous politicians in their face or show a middle finger to the frivolous and irresponsible ways of the absurdly burgeoning news-media, here’s your chance to get some vicarious and metaphorical pleasure
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