Zeeshan Mahmud
The movie started off solid in a serious tone. But then 20 minutes in I gave up. Just couldn't stand the drivel.Why do Bollywood movie makers feel that they need to inject sappy love story, stupid comical 'reliefs' and cheesy romantic songy vibes to make a movie sellable?Have some respect for your work instead of kowtowing to please the hoi polloi. This is why movies from India never wins Oscar.
saket saurav
A man broke down a hillock into pieces with just a hammer and a chisel in 21 years. He was the Mountain Man of India- Dashrath Manjhi. Its disheartening that he never got his due and his family could never come out of poverty. The state government barely did anything to promote him. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has portrayed the character beautifully, but over dramatization at instances steals the charm from the film. It could have been even more shorter and even more solid. However despite clichés, it manages to deliver the what it promised. I would have given it 8/10. But those two extra points are for the man who inspired the movie.
DareDevilKid
Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating:4.2/5 starsIf you have the will, you can move mountains. Bihar's Dashrath Manjhi proved this adage when he did the unthinkable and actually carved a path through a mountain with just a hammer and a chisel after toiling for 22 years. Ketan Mehta's biopic, "Manjhi: The Mountain Man" tells this powerful story of a common man from Gehlaur Village in Bihar's Gaya District. With a spirited story and talented actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte, Mehta has ensured that the film is true to its hero.Nawazuddin plays Dashrath Manjhi while Radhika essays the role of his wife, Faguniya. Their village lacks even the basic amenities like schools and hospitals because of the mountain that lies in its path. Faguniya dies after falling off the mountain and succumbs to her injuries for the want of timely medical attention. It does not take much time for Dashrath to decide that he must break through the mountain to carve an accessible path for the villagers. "Manjhi: The Mountain Man" traces his tumultuous journey as he struggles to make the path and has to fight friends, family, and corrupt bureaucrats alike.Nawazuddin is definitely the most crucial and impressive part of the movie. During promotions the actor, who was last seen in Salman Khan's super-hit "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", had said that this was his most difficult role yet. But what you get too see in Manjhi is an effortless performance. There isn't a single moment in the entire film where you can separate Siddiqui from Dashrath. Be it revolting against the zamindar or toiling for decades in the memory of his wife, Siddiqui brings out all the character's emotions to the fore with his facial expressions and evokes pith mostly through his eyes. One of the most striking scenes is the one where Dashrath is arrested and told that he might rot in jail for the rest of his life. As he talks to himself, the helplessness in his eyes breaks your heart.There is another scene where Dashrath is bitten by a snake that finds its way out in the open after he has cut through half of the mountain. He staggers, cries out in pain, and, eventually, for lack of any other feasible alternative, cuts out the thumb that was bitten. Thanks to Siddiqui's acting, you can actually feel the pain he must face at the moment and his determination to live on. This is undoubtedly the kind of performance where you can say that Siddiqui deserves all the awards out there. (Sadly, and predictably, he didn't win any this year. Exasperatingly, he wasn't even nominated for the major ones.)To boot, the film is also one of the most touching and inspiring love stories in Bollywood. Married in childhood, Dashrath and Faguniya hardly spent four-five years together before she dies. The bond that the duo develops during that short period can be clearly seen as the reason behind the 22-year-long struggle Dashrath undertakes to ensure that no one else dies the way his wife did. Mehta, too, has brought out that romance perfectly. Every time Dashrath is about to lose his patience, Falguniya's spirit appears and reminds him why he needs to do it, charging him up all over again. And, when the villagers are celebrating after he has cut away the mountain, Dashrath sees Faguniya once again dancing along the others in a colorful attire. (These scenes could have stuck out like a sore thumb in a rustic, realistic tale, were it not for Mehta's deftness, and Siddiqui's and Apte's convincing powers in such scenes.)As they say, God lies in details, and the same applies for the art of cinema. Mehta's brilliant use of minute details of the socio- political milieu of Dashrath Manjhi's world helps the story along. He has made apt use of these details to highlight the politics of caste and class with remarked expertise. Manjhi also touches upon the menace of Maoist violence. Fed up with the atrocities of the upper caste, especially the village zamindar (Tigmanshu Dhulia) , one of Manjhi's friends turns a rebel. He returns to the village with a group of men flashing guns and hangs Singh to death. But just because the poor man is victimized here, Mehta doesn't end up advocating violence. Dashrath is seen arguing with his friend- turned-Maoist and telling him that guns are no solution only to be hit for his advice.It's not that the film is without its jarring points. The very Bollywood-ized romance between Siddiqui and Apte seems out of place in a lifelike, backwaters surrounding. Given the realism of the story, the flying sarees and Apte roaming around without blouses do not quite fit into the cultural milieu. But the main themes of love, passion, equality, and above all, the strength of a man's willpower that run throughout the movie comprehensively triumph over such trivial niggles. From fighting corrupt bureaucrats to unhelpful villagers and annoying family members, Dashrath rises against all odds to ensure that he completes the task he took upon himself; one that will serve his entire village and not just some selfish agenda.
Bhargava Krishna Gummadi
Shandaar. Jabardast. Zindabadh. This is the one of the best movie from Bollywood, directing an biography movie is not an simple task. After watching this movie, i feel to go there and show my respect to Manjhi. An inspiring movie to each human being, telling how he loved his wife.I don't know why the stupid people of India watches crap movies than the classical movie. Certainly it should be in the race for Academy awards. Background music, all the actors were very good performed. Piracy and Spoilers killed this movie. Many immature reviewers also rated 2 out of 5.Forget about spoilers and watch the movieDon't miss this inspiring movie
