RGV, DEPART-MAN!!

Big B in Department

Shiva ushered in a director in Bollywood who would go on to change the definition of film-making in the country. Satya made him the one of the  leading no-nonsense directors of Bollywood. Ram Gopal Verma. The master mind behind such cinematic delights as Raat, Satya, Rangeela and Company surely should think of retirement; it’s time he lets go of his schizoid techniques especially his cinematographic details and should defintely wash his hands off as a story-teller. Department, the latest RGV factory product is another washout. Even the innovative cinematographic approaches can not help the film from dwindling into oblivion.

Think of every possible frames and shots that can be taken. Long shots, close-ups, jump cuts and intercuts might seem interesting in the first few frames but become so repelling for the audience as the film proceeds that you fear treading inside the zip of a goon or peeping into the cleavage of a roadside woman. With RGV, every impossibilty can become possible. These trysts  with cinematic techniques are a new addition to his films, sound being his earlier forte. Initially they look new, but as the story (as in, the lack of it) proceeds, it takes a toll on the audience.

Every performer in the film disappoints. Amitabh Bachchan (Sirji Rao), Sanjay Dutt (Mahadev) and Rana Daggubati (Shiv). Even the slitherines, Abhimanyu Singh (DK) and Madhu Shalini (Naseer) do not help. Vijay Raaz (Sawatiya) tries to shine in the ensemble, but the screenplay has nothing much to add to his credentials. And the two lady-loves, Anjana Sukhani (Bharati) and Lakshmi Manchu (Satya) do eaxctly what they are best suited to do, provide support to their counterparts and shower love. The cop-and-underworld story blurs the distiction between good and evil. But the actors are so non chalant, that the audience fails to decipher the essence of RGV’s vision.

M. Ravichandran Thevar, Siddhartha More, Zaryan Patel, Sapan Narula and Harshraj Shroff are the cinemtographers. They rock and roll and have a gala time moving the cameras according to the whimsical wishes of their director. The music department provides no relief either; Bappi Lahiri, Vikram Magi and Dharam-Sandeep, even the worst item song ever done, Dan Dan on Nathalia Kaur, goes haywire. And Vinay Abhijit’s editing needs no mention at all. Well, when the captain of the ship is self-obsessed, his crew can harldy sail.

Department is a royal pain. And only if you have an eye for fashion, look at the bell tinkling on the wrist of Bachchan. His fashion faux-pas is RGV’s delight and so can be yours! As for the rest of the things, do not even dare to sit through the DVD of the film. You would surely not like to put your physiological departments at stake!

Ram Gopal Verma, it’s high time, Depart-Man!!