The film ‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’ is a Hindi film produced, directed and written by Vishal Bhardwaj released in January 2013. The music director of the film is also Vishal Bhardwaj. The main stars include Imran Khan, Anuskha Sharma, Pankaj Kapur, Shabana Azmi and Arya Babbar.
The film is set in a village called Mandola of Haryana. Harphool Singh Mandola (Pankaj Kapur)is a cynical, drunkard businessman of the village who wishes to fulfill his dream of converting the village into a Special Economic Zone by selling the lands of the farmers at low rates. He has a daughter, Bijlee Mandola (Anushka Sharma) who is a sweet girl but lonely. Her mother died when she was young and her father did not give her love and his time, because of his severe drinking habit. She did her studies from New Delhi and Oxford University, England. Harry Mandola’s assitant is Hukum Singh Matru (Imran Khan). He is an honest devoted servant to his master.
Choudhury Devi (Shabana Azmi) is a politician from New Delhi who has eyes on capturing the property and lands of Mandola for her selfish political reasons so she influences and seduces Harry. She promises Harry the fulfillment of his dream by marrying her son, Badal (Arya Babbar) to Bijlee. This is a sheer political plan of the Devi who has no good intentions for Biljee after the marriage. Bijlee pretends she love Badal but actually her heart yearns for Matru.
Mao, an activist works for the farmers in hide. He does everything to save the lands of the farmers. Matru takes Mao’s role and helps the farmers grow crops on their land and sell it at good rates in the market after harvest. Badal tries to destroy the yield of the harvest but Bijlee tells this to Matru who saves the production of the entire village. In the end Bijlee is forcibly marrying Badal when Harry realises his mistake and saves his village and daughter from Choudhury Devi’s evil plans.
The film depicts the struggle of the farmers who have taken loan from banks but are not able to repay. The politicians’ ill intentions are highlighted and how villagers unite to fight the battle and win it, saving their lands. It is a practical film worth watching for once.
