This Friday, you have two movies hitting the theatres, which certainly do include Dharam Sankat Mein. The movie has the some of the veteran actors including Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah and Annu Kapoor, which is directed by Fuwad Khan, while it is produced by Sajjad Chunawal and Shariq Patel under the banner of Viacom 18 Motion Pictures. The movie poster though created some controversies but the filmmakers were smart enough to rectify things the best. This movie is an official remake of a British Comedy movie called The Infidel released in 2010. This is perhaps the first time in the history of Bollywood films wherein 3 times National Film and Filmfare award winners are being in the main cast of this film. Let’s dig deep into it to get the real picture of the same.
There is no good age to tell the world that you are adopted. The film has a character based in Ahmedabad of a man from an upper middle class family called Dharam Pal Trivedi. He is a Jain caterer who is a lonely man with anyone to care about him and his life. The story of film is complex and found in different layers yet happens to be straight and simple. Here you have a man who is trying to find out his biological father. This man is patient enough to believe that his religion of birth is different than the ones in which he is brought up. He is then seen getting entangled inside the web of religion soon causing him an identity crisis. In this story, you find a man who is seen doing everything just to fulfil the desire of his son.
However, as you dig deep, you can find the hero of this film is the director, who is none other than Fuwad Khan. He is successful in placing one religion next to the other and thus seen impressively bringing out the similarities between the two along with the differences seen in their similarities. One of the best scenes in the film is the bike scene found in the dreams of Dharam. A bewildered and innocent Dharam is seen getting entangled in between two religions by their respective religious men. These are seen together in one bike and heading to somewhere, this scene would certainly help you enjoy the film the best. Perhaps this is one of the finest depiction of a man found in identity crisis.
The screenplay of the movie is very much crisp, tight and entertaining. Every frame in the film accounted for every movement in it seems to have a meaning. This may not reveal itself in the start but as you see the story unfolding, you would soon find yourself relating to the earlier instances in the film. The character development and acting performance can be called as a spot on thing. In Dharam Sankat Mein you have some of the finest talents of bollywood playing different characters with utter brilliance and dexterity. The character of Dharam Pal Trivedi played by Paresh Rawal simply essays the role of a contemporary, liberal and educated Hindu man who practises some of the ideas of his religion and ignores the rest. He simply does not allow his faith to intervene with his lifestyle. At the same time, he is also intolerant to some extent to his new neighbour who comes from another faith. His character simply composes of a typical modern Indian man who keeps his family at the top.
On the other side, you have Annu Kapoor playing the character of modern day Muslim lawyer. He simply tells the audience that not all the Muslims are evil and most of them are unlike the other Indians. He has a fair idea about his religions and its tenets, however, he doesn’t believe in imposing the ideas on anyone. He is also upset about the fact that an old man at Dharam’s place who is his father is spending his last days is an Imam and asked Dharam to follow his religion by converting to Muslim faith. Then you have a notorious man called Neelanand Baba played by Naseerudding Shah. He is a rock star baba who is cool, modern and fahion freak. Ironically he has loads of crazy and immature followers who bow down to him while he takes the entry with his cool bike in the presence of rock and pop bhajans with roving eye. The screen play of the film is sprinkled with too many sounds of temple bells along with the sound of Namaz (prayer) and of course the personal background music of Neelanand.
Dharam Sankat Mein Review : Last Words
The movie is very aptly titled as it is a story of a man who is seen suffering from an identity crisis, the film gives you the right hint about what it has in the store for you. The film manages to post question about religion and its importance in a defensive style. It poses question about prioritising relgion over the others. Religion is called the way of life, which is supposed to support you in your relationships and not malign them. Later, you find the movie turning into moral science class room and talks about humanity found in every religion. Lastly, considering the fact that the content of the film is well taken, it becomes an interesting and entertaining watch!
