An Absolute MASTERPIECE!!!. Review on Iqbal

When I initially heard about ‘IQBAL’, I’ll be frank and say, I expected it to be a really nice movie……… after all it was made by Nagesh Kuknoor, the creator of wonderfully crafted films like ‘Teen Deewarain’ and ‘Rockford’. But I certainly wasn’t prepared for this level of brilliance……. For Iqbal, in every sense, transcends boundaries and leaves us with this overwhelming feeling of goodness….. and completeness!!

The story is about a typical Indian boy, Iqbal, who has a dream that every boy in India wants realize: To make it to the Indian cricket team!!! He is also met with the same amount of criticism along his way that most seem to……. But what makes Iqbal stand out is the fact that he happens to be deaf-and-dumb!! Being from a poor farmer family, it is the story of how this boy overcomes all odds to come up triumphs!! And along the way his biggest supports are his confident sister and his ever-loving mother, but his biggest source of support comes from such an unexpected source, that sometimes you’re left wondering about who actually is supporting whom!! The story very subtly also tries to convey the amount of politics that lies beneath this very glamorous game of CRICKET…. And how much someone has to go through to get to the top!! Also, one of the highlights of the movie is, as Nagesh puts it, “5 minutes into the movie, and you’ll forget that Iqbal is deaf-and-dumb!!” The handicap is quickly forgotten, as one starts gaping at Iqbal’s trials, victories and defeats……

.. Also, surprisingly, the movie is quite a hilarious one, with some really creative brains behind it…… One can make out that a real cricketing brain is behind it all. The sequence where the buffaloes are tied at different places, and numbered……. And Iqbal is told to bowl in such a way that the batsman will hit it to the buffalo which his sister shows on the placard, is a good example of a particularly intelligent but at the same time really hilarious scene. The story is also a really <b.progressive one where the women (read: Iqbal’s mom and sis!!) are not reduced to tears in every sequence, but are actually shown to be really confident women ready to take on all obstacles in Iqbal’s path. But according to me, what stand out in this brilliant movie, other than the performances, is the beautiful bond between Iqbal and his sister……. Which takes the viewer on a roller coaster of emotions ranging from peals of laughter to tears…. And beneth it all their love for one another is all too evident!!!

As for the performances, I would say that even if the movie had no story line, each of the actors could have carried the film on their shoulders, and with such an inspiring story, they really work wonders. The actress who plays Iqbal’s mother, is very convincing in her renderation of her character. The other actors also are really good, and more importantly, very very convincing. Girish Karnad, as the ‘bad coach’, is particularly brilliant. Infact, I mistook him for some retired Indian cricketeer!!! But according to me, the film is practically ruled by the three main actors…….. Shweta Prasad (the Makdee girl) continues to amaze everyone with each growing performance. As Iqbal’s sister, she has put in a performance ahead of her years….. look foreward to seeing more of her in future!! Shreyas Talpade, as Iqbal himself, is, needless to say: BRILLIANT!! He essays the role to perfection, and one is left wondering if anyone, absolutely ANYONE, could have taken his place!! But the most heart-rendering performance comes from the man himself: NASEERUDDIN SHAH!!! Once he gets into the role, which he does with a familiar ease, he makes the character come alive as very few in this film industry can!! And after that he just seems to control your emotions all through!!! Here is to the undispute ‘Bad-SHAH’ of the Indian film Industry!! And three cheers for Nagesh too, for the characterization could not have been ANY better than this!!!

And all through the movie the song 'aashayein' plays in the background...... a catchy, inspiring and apt one that add to the feel of the film.... I adore that song!!

All in all, Iqbal is a feel-good movie that re-invokes your enthusiasm for life…. A real masterpiece in the new-age ‘multiplex films’!! All I can say is….. JUST GO WATCH THE MOVIE….. its one of those can’t-miss experiences of life!!!