Movie Review: The Last Lear
Film Critic: Goher Iqbal Punn
Producer: Planman Moion Picures
Director: Rituparno Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Preity Zinta and Shefali Shah
The finest filmmaker of Bengal and even on Hindi film front, Rituparno Ghosh comes up with his latest offering, ‘The Last Lear’ based on Utpal Dutt’s play ‘Aajker Shahjahan’. The story, which revolves around an aging actor of theater and the subject are not enticing for all types of viewers. The film certainly is for a particular section of audience who loves literature and theatrical works. You find Shakespeare aplenty in the movie. Does it attract to the young enthusiastic generation. Ofcourse not….! It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. The fact is a fact that the best things in the film, one cannot forget to mention i.e. the execution is splendid and the characterization is brilliant. Nonetheless, this enterprise should be targeted to the film festivals but not for cinemas because no one would come out to watch it on screen. Had it been made a theater play, it would have been praised hugely.
Harry (Amitabh Bachchan) is a theater actor who lives on vodka and memories of past glories. He adores Shakespeare hugely and detests cinema. Siddhart (Arjun Rampal) is a film director. Harry finds him smart and loves to have conversation with him. Slowly, the vodka, coffees and conversations build up a strong relationship between the two. So when Siddharth offers him a role in his film, Harry says okay to that. But there comes an incident that changes everything.
Rituparno Ghosh’s direction is top notch. But on the writing side, this subject is not digestive for the common viewers. It’s no doubt different, as Ritu comes up usually with, but he leaves some points remain unexplained in the film. As Shefali’s hatred for Preity Zinta has not been explained. Why does Arjun Rampal want Amitabh to perform the death-defying jump all over again?
Amitabh Bachchan does fantastic job. Arjun Rampal is brilliant. Preiy Zinta allures. Shefali Shah is a class to watch. Divya Dutta does well also. Others too impress. So the performances wise, the film is great. But the story and the subject make it a complete lackluster.
The Last Lear is not for the cinema going audiences rather it’s for the people who love literature and theatrical works.
RS Rating: 1.5/5
- The reviewer is a popular and experienced Bollywood and Indian TV Analyst. He is laced with a good rapport with both the swanky worlds of Bollywood and Indian TV. He also shares good rapport with the celebs of these worlds. You may write to him at goheriqbal@yahoo.co.uk, goher.punn@yahoo.com and bollywood.tv.analyst@gmail.com
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Well seems like this reviewer thinks that dancing around tress and entertaining people is good cinema! Maybe this film was way over the top for his brain to grasp.
The people who understand good cinema are praising this film, Sir Richard Attenborugh who made gandhi which won 8 oscars has given this film top marks. He even hugged bigb during the london film festival.
What do these so-called indian reviewers know about good cinema??
Thank you Rizwan. Some people think that good cinema is dancing and singing around trees. The last Lear is one of BIG.B best.