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Thursday, October 10, 2024
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BOLLYWOOD KULDIP PATWAL: I DIDN'T DO IT
EDITOR'S PICK
'Kuldip Patwal: I Didn't Do It': Deepak Dobriyal shines (Review By Troy Ribeiro ; Rating: **)
"Kuldip Patwal: I Didn't Do It" is a meticulously penned political satire
that has lost its effectiveness during its onscreen translation.
Set in the fictitious state of Bharatsar, somewhere in North India, the film
begins on a dramatic note with a staccato, black screen and voiceovers.
Prominent among the voices is, "Why don't you understand, I am the CM of the
state." This weak and authoritative voice belongs to Varun Chadha, the third
term appointed Chief Minister of Bharatsar, who is soon assassinated at a
political rally.
Immediately after the assassination, Kuldip Patwal -- a bystander at the rally
-- is arrested and accused of the murder. He pleads, "Not guilty, I did not do
it."
What follows is a non-linear narrative that blends a murder mystery and
courtroom drama. It exposes how dreams and ambitions of a common man like Kuldip
Patwal are crushed due to "the system" -- read corruption -- that prevails in
the country.
It is the story of the common man in India. The film also reveals how inhuman
treatment is meted out to him. And like the insignificant common man, Kuldip
Patwal is not the hero of the tale. The story pits the wrong against the right
and right against the wrong thereby giving a holistic perspective of the
political scenario here.
Playing the titular role, Deepak Dobriyal is every inch the insignificant
protagonist - Kuldip Patwal. He emotes with sincerity. He is consistent in
displaying his character and he maintains the continuity in his transition from
a wannabe administrative bureaucrat to a struggling shopkeeper to being a
helpless father.
In an author-backed role, he is simply brilliant as the timid and loving person
who turns brutally aggressive when pushed to the wall.
Matching him in histrionics is Gulshan Devaiah as the human rights activist and
Kuldip's defence lawyer Pradyuman Shahpuri. Gulshan enlivens the screen with his
boisterous, over-the-top histrionics which include his loud Punjabi accent.
Equally effective are Anurag Arora as Inspector Ajay Rathore, Jameel Khan as
Kuldip's friend who frames him, Vikram Kochhar as the politician Mr. Goenka and
the characters who play Kuldip's family - his father, mother and wife.
The misfits here are Pravin Dabas as Varun Chadha and Raima Sen as his wife
Simrat who is also the district attorney and the prosecution lawyer. They both
are limited with their performances. While Pravin tries to exude some natural
confidence, Raima's efforts seem laboured and her pronounced diction is
definitely jarring.
With sound production values and fine detailing in the mise-en-scene, the film
is technically thorough.
But on the directorial front, debutant Remy Kohli delivers a simple effective
tale in the most convoluted, non-linear manner making the entire take on the
proceedings lose its lustre. The repetitive scenes add to the sore points of
viewing. If only the script was taut, the effectiveness of this narrative would
have been tenfold better.
There is more to the truth than meets the common man's eye. When Kuldip Patwal, a store shopkeeper gets caught in the midst of a political drama caused by the death of a local minister, the lines between truth and lies get blurry. Packed by powerhouse performances from Deepak Dobriyal, Raima Sen, Gulshan Devaiah, Parvin Dabas and Anurag Arora, Kuldip Patwal: I Didn't Do It is releasing across cinemas February 2, 2018
