'RAZAKAR' hit the screens today (March 15) in multiple languages. The film has been produced by Gudur Narayana Reddy and directed by Yata Satyanarayana.
Plot:
The story of the film takes place in the 1940s predominantly when the Hyderabad State was under the rule of Osman Ali Khan (played by Makrand Deshpande) till September 1948. Razakars, the private militia that guarded the Islamic character of the princely state by subjugating Hindus, are the main villains of the piece. It takes the firm leadership of Independent India's Home Minister Sardar Patel (Tej Sapru) to liberate Hyderabad from the evil clutches of the Nizam-Razakar complex. The film under review essentially deals with the chronology of events and notable revolts involving the likes of Rajireddy (Bobby Simha), Shanthavva (Vedhika), Chakali Ailamma (Indraja), Pochamma (Anasuya Bharadwaj) and a few others.
Performances and Technical Departments:
It's instructive that the film has no lead actors per se. Even Tej Sapru, who plays the face of the pro-Hindu section of the Indian National Congress, is not a hero in a strict sense of the term. As such, the heavy-lifting is done by multiple actors who flit in and out of the screen from time to time. Anasuya's episode is enriched by the timeless Bathukamma song. Bobby Simha plays a masculine mini revolutionary of sorts.
Thalaivasal Vijay plays KM Munshi, a disciple of Patel. John Vijay plays Mir Laiq Ali, the last PM of the Nizam State. Chandhunadh, Prema and Devi Prasad are on the side of victims/pacifism.
The background score is too loud and is utterly out of step with the tastes of today's audiences. The film wants to be the epitome of 'Aavesham Cinema' and so the BGM was designed in such a way that it is ear-splitting. The cinematography and the production design are decent.
Analysis:
Director Yata Satyanarayana admittedly read scores of books related to the liberation of Hyderabad as a senior journalist and an informal student of History. As a film taking the Hindu Nationalist line championed by everyone from Patel to Arya Samaj to the RSS, 'Razakar' is unapologetic about its intent. Its intent steers clear of the Marxist whitewashing of Islamic iconoclasm and bigotry, while its content fails to steer clear of old-school storytelling.
The scenes in the first half follow a predictable template: Every other scene shows Hindus being tortured, women being humiliated, and whole villages being brutalized. While these scenes reflect true history as it happened, the treatment gives no room for nuance. The victims wail. The perpetrators say 'Victory to Turkistan' and make references to 'Kaffirs' and Islam on repeat. Meanwhile, Sardar Patel has only one job: to listen to dull updates about the happenings in Hyderabad from an aged aide.
The screenplay spoon-feeds the audience so much that too many scenes are about giving information to the audience. After a point, you are like, "I don't need to know the names of villages, persons, years, and locations. Just engage me with drama. I don't remember a single name in Kashmir even though I watched and loved 'The Kashmir Files'."
The second half is where the film comes into its own. Once the Indian state steps in with the aim of salvaging Hindus, the drama acquires heft. The entire stretch in the last 40 minutes is good.
Vox Verdict:
'Razakar' is a mixed bag. Its intent is solid but the treatment is old-fashioned.
