Madaari is a cerebral masterclass directed by Nishikant Kamath on the helplessness of the average educated Indian Middle Class to voice out their grievances apart from the elections which at the most is a nominal democracy. This film follows the usual underdog vigilante justice route, but has some gems when the character of the eight year old kidnapped boy threatens the assailant as the son of the home minister, that the language of power is understood by a kid. The film explores themes such as overpopulation, inter religious marriage, migration and single parenting with the simplicity which reminded me of ‘Lunch Box’.
The ‘HIdden Business of Indian Democracy’ with all it’s shenanigans such as fundraising through bad infra deals which crash. Irrfan aces his role with a solid presence on the screen. Such political activist cinema comes rarely, reminds me of ‘Rang De Basanti’ in terms of solid cinema. The illusion of Indian Politics is laid bare through fiction of cinema. The anti corruption narrative gets a voice as the Lokpal gets institutionalised.
Change Thinker 