BLOOD AND GUTS,BUT NO GLORY. Review on Company

It is after a long time that I return to Mouth Shut and I would say that Company made me do it.I would like a lot of folks to see this flick as it contains the universal message that crime does not pay,however smart you are or however safe you play it, it is sooner or later going to extract its pound of flesh from you or your loved ones.It is a very common and disturbing train of thought that in order to solve all your problems in Bombay you become a ''Bhai'' that is become a member of the underworld and everyone fears you and your problems are solved.A lot of youngsters have taken to this sorry and dangerous path and discovered that it is not a laughing matter.

Director Ramgopal Verma specializes in gang dramas and lends them a very gritty outlook and always packs in a punch when you least expect it.That is his forte.See Satya for intance,he has done a great job and he does not seem to stop with Company.The same old story of common friends becoming blood enemies and gunning for each other would have become mishmash in the hands of any other director but him.The movie starts with Malik(Ajay Devgan) and Chandu(Vivek Oberoi)consolidating their position in Bombay with the help of fear,money or bullets whichever is applicable!!

When the cops are hot on their trail they shift base to Hong Kong and start to control their activities from there.As is wont to happen,differences crop up between them and they become sworn enemies of each other.This is when the movie bares its fangs and shocks the daylights out of the viewer as it goes on to show how bad the underworld can be and what repercussions it can have on your loved ones.everyone pays for their misdoings in one way or the other and it is this message that the director drives home with a hammer that only he can wield.Truly here is a director who knows his medium too well and makes exreme good use of it.Please do not expect fun and gaiety and songs and dances as is always there in hindi movies.This one cuts close to the bone as possible.

Ajay Devgan is stellar and his silence speaks volumes if you can understand the mentality of the character.Vivek Oberoi is the find of the season as he portrays the character of Chandu with all the right intonations of a lower middle class boy who wants to make it big by hook or by crook.Mohanlal,the seasoned actor of Malayalam cinema makes his hindi debut here and he is excellent.Actually his Hindi language handicap makes it very easy for his character of Srinivasan.He has all the right expressions on his face and his portrayal of the tough cop with the humane kernel will be long remembered.Antara Mali is a great surprise as we have not seen much of her and she packs a total wallop with her performance.Manisha Koirala is her usual self and does justice to the small role provided to her.

The cinematography by Hemant Chaturvedi is superb and very brooding and also involves dextrous use of steadycams to great effect.As usual the background score by Sandeep Chowta is mind blowing and tells much of the story through his music.Certain tracks still play in my mind like Malik's Soul.It is available on tape and cd.All said and done, this is one movie that you should not miss and do not consider it as entertainment, but as a thought provoking statement on the life and times of the Bombay Underworld.See it and get shocked!!!