Prakash Jha, who is known for his recent social movies based on real life incidents in rural Bihar (Gangaajal and his forthcoming Aprahan) and hit TV Series ‘Mungherilal Ke Haseen Sapne’ in 1990s, seems to have deep concerns about corruption, cast prejudice, labor exploitation, and woman rights in 1990s-2000s Lalu Prasad Yadav's Bihar.
Even though his movies are realistic, semi-artistic and semi-commercial, He always seems to have missed excellence of movie making except 1985's Damul. But, his collaboration with two of the best actresses of last two decade - Shabana Azmi and Madhuri Dixit able to hit bulls eye and directed one of the finest movie of 1990s - The Death Sentence: Mrityudand.
Story
Mrityudand is set in a remote village in Bihar and its story of three women in a Bihar Village who are being terrorized by men and how they rebel against their physical and emotional violence.
The village is ruled by a contractor and broker Tripat (Mohan Joshi), aided by the local politician MLA Durga Pandey (Harish Patel), who manipulates others to get what they want. Their main concern is to divide two brothers - namely Abhay Singh (Mohan Agashe) and his younger brother Vinay Singh (Ayub Khan), sons of upper class local landlord, who lives in his past glory and acquire their rocky river land for their construction projects. They do succeed considerably, after Abhay renounces 17 years of unfruitful married life and takes on the celibate life of a temple priest after killing local temple head.
In the mean time, Vinay gets married to the educated young woman, ketki (Madhuri Dixit). As Vinay struggles to keep the household going, Ketki aides him to start off his own entrepreneurial venture as a contractor, but as things would have it naive Vinay becomes a pawn in the hands of Tripat and Pandey. He starts physically and emotionally abusing Ketki, warning her not to interfere with his affairs. As their marriage starts to fall apart, Vinay soon realizes that the Tripat and Pandey have taken advantage of his friendship. Vinay is humbled and apologizes to ketki. As Vinay and ketki were trying to regroup, Tripat kills Vinay.
In the mean time, Kanti (Shipa ShirodKar), a servant, whose husband is forced to leave the village to pay off a debt, turns to prostitution in order to help. Ketki witnesses Kanti being exploited by Tripat. Abhay Singh's devastated wife, Chandravati (Shabana Azmi), banj (sterile woman) throughout her life, finds love with the Rambharan (Om Puri), a sympathetic lower caste merchant who has been giving loans to the landlord's family. Unfulfilled Chandravati's relationship with Rambaran turns sexual; Chandravati discovers she is not sterile. This makes ashamed Abhay to get help from his biggest rival, Tripat to save his reputation, honor and dignity. They get together with villagers and decide to give Mrityudand to Chandravati.
As ketki increasingly disturbed about the victimization of woman in the village, she finds her inner strength, teach the women to fight back. The remaining story is what happens when women revolt against their oppressors and how ketki save Chandravati from Mrityudand.
Analysis
Even though story seems very complicated to narrate, Prakash Jha managed it very well and able to keep it together with taut screenplay and well-written drama. Even though Jha introduced lot of characters and subplots in the first half, weaves together in second half, movie moves with comfortable pace along with lots of twists and turns. Mrityudand contains one of path breaking, breathtaking cinematography of rural Bihar. Authenticity of shots of Ganga ghats, village temple, landlord haveli, powerbroker's farmhouse, and village streets makes movie as realistic as possible.
Mrityudand features some of spectacular sequences executed by the Jha - Killing of local temple head priest, How Ketki saves Kanti from Tripat, Ketki and Vinay’s confrontation when she trying to interfere his matters, Killing of Vinay Singh, Ketki and Tripat's confrontation in her house when she attacked by him at one night, Abhay and Chandravati’s confrontation when Abhay knows about her pregnancy, and Killing of Tripat Singh at Ganga Ghat.
My most memorable scene comes at the almost end of the movie. When Tripat and Abhay Singh, along with all the men of the village, enter landlord's house to carry out their death sentence on Chandravati, The whole sequence of house packed with women standing silent in protest to protect two pregnant women, Tripat’s wife attack her husband and give others strength to fight with men is well executed.
Mrityudand contains some of powerful dialogues graced on recent cinema. Some of my favorites are - Ketki's confrontation to Vinay – ‘Tum Mere Pati Ho, Parmeshwar Banne Ki Koshish Mat Karo.' And When Ketki asks Chandravati whose baby she is carrying, she replies – ‘Mine’.
All characters are well developed and believable. As far as performances, even though most of all are powerful, this movie belongs to one and only one - Madhuri Dixit. This Ek Do Teen or Dhak Dhak girl plays character of her lifetime. As far as I am concern, this is best character she ever portrayed. Yes, she was good in Tezaab, Dil, Beta, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Lajja but Mrityudand showcase her real acting ability at full throttle pace. She can be naughty, lovable, supportive, submissive, and vulnerable and at the same time, she can be ferocious and vicious like Kali. She changes her facial expressions like chameleon changes their color. Its pity that one of wonderful actress of our time, didn't get enough chance to showcase her talent. Perhaps one of the finest compliment of her character is even though she is not present on screen when men create problems, you know she will able to solve it sooner or later. She seems to have perfect solution for everyone and every situation. Ayub Khan does justice to his small but very important role. He performed well against stalwart like Shabana Azmi and Madhuri Dixit. Shabana Azmi and Om Puri are in familiar territory with their art cinema background, enacted their complex characters with ease. Shilpa Shirodkar plays brief but effective character. Jha’s regular Mohan Joshi, Harish Patel, and Mohan Agashe are loud as usual.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the movie is its music and background score. This is shining example of why realistic drama requires no songs. Anand Milind's music has nothing to talk about. All songs are unnecessary and halts story for next 3-5 minutes. Anand Milind's background score of drums in crucial scenes like killing village temple head priest are effective but it could have been more impressive.
Conclusion
This movie will hold you on your seat from the opening scene of Mrityudand of oppressed (Pregnant village woman) to climax scene of Mrityudand of oppressor (Power broker). This is one of the most underrated movies of 1990s. It is powerful film delivering complicated multilayered social messages with multicolor characters. It’s a modern classic and definitive see.
