Shikar – Film Review

Story Line : Simpleton turns ultra-wasteful modern turns Simpleton again.

A man was traveling with his wife and child when they meet with an accident and their car falls in a deep ditch. Driver and wife die leaving the 4 years old son and father to live alone. They all would have died – had it not been for tribals residing in that area. When the father regains his senses , he sees an old man who had been nursing him along with the Tribals. Slowly he recuperates and sees around him the sorry condition of the Tribals – the land was dry and they had no source of income. He feels for their state and decides to stay their itself – planting tress and making the area fertile. He started to be considered as a Guru (revered one) by the Tribals around – gradually he made an Ashram for the orphans and the children of the tribals along with the orphans took care of their area by maintaining rich vegetation. He sends away his son (Shajid) to City for higher education.

In comes a rich Businessman (Ajay Devgan) – and with the help of some local Politician – decides to build a Golden Gate city in the locality – some 40 kms away from the Ashram. Work begins – and millions are invested in the infrastructure . Ajay drives away the tribals residing in that area by giving them money and sending them away in trucks to rot in Mumbai slums – the Guru had warned them not to sell off their lands but the greedy / uneducated / illiterate Tribals didn’t pay any heed to Guru’s advice – took the money and went to the Mumbai slums….the greed for the availability of surplus wealth, women (whores) & wine is not very easily curbed by even the educated section of the society – how can the tribals curb it ?!

But influential Guru makes use of his contacts and the work is stopped – much to Ajay’s shock – he had already invested millions in it! Ajay had to get the permission to start the work and he tries the filmy way – to find out Guru’s weakness. He finds out that he has a son who would eventually take over the empire. So he starts getting pally with Guru’s son and makes him indulge in all those things which are considered as taboo in Indian Society – like : smoke, booze ( consume alcohol), womanize, gamble. The son falls for them all also – since he was getting all this for free – he was unaware of the fact that Ajay was doing it purposely – he (Ajay) had thought that introducing all sorts of vices in him – will make him dance around his little fingure – but Shajid turned out to be smarter – he enjoyed everything for free – then immediately got over all the vices – and took his father’s side !

Some things/dialogues to ponder upon :

1.In the movie – the names of Mahabaleshwar & Shimla were mentioned – kind of ruining the natural resources – and making a tourist place of it. Is it true?I know not ! What harm has it caused to India ?Can anyone let me know. Thanks.

2.The son was sent to the city for further studies – which also means that he was exposed to city life, friends, movies, novels etc. still he indulged in all sorts of vices – unknowing? Innocently? – or was he much too clever?

3. The Tribals should have been educated for a change instead of letting them proliferate – year after year – and then after having produced an ‘unwanted’ baby – both parents part ways – for different sex partners of course and the orphan reaches the Ashram – was it the Ashram’s way to keep a constant flow of Human Resources? – I mean – give food & shelter and make several people (orphans) work for you – to make the environment green and win the appreciation of the World ?… ‘the absolute poor & illiterate’ and ‘ the absolute rich and too much literate as well as the famous’ – more or less lead the same kind of lives – ‘wealth ,women, wine’ – Rate differs from Rs.12/- to Rs 12,000/- and drinks differ from Country Liquor and Blended foreign scotch !The middle class are just sandwiched in between! (beech main atki apni jaan…)

4.The fiancé of Ajay is a model (viola !) & asked to ‘ do everything possible’ to Shajid – in order to get work done from him – showing that men who choose a model as a life partner – have their intentions very clear – get clients – by hook or by crook (refer movie Julie – relationship between Neha Dhupia and Sanjay Kapoor) – although in this movie (Bips) finds it very strange !! And decides to leave him (Ajay) – she wanted to marry Ajay – so for love’s sake – she used to wear just men’s vest – showing her voluptuous cleavage and short shirts – showing her well waxed…regions – in order to charm the Guru’s son – but she failed ! Ajay makes her know that she is a failure after all and shows the door to her (literally as well) !

5.Non availability of a good wholesome dress in Thialand is too much to digest. The fact that Saree was available – but still Bips bought shameless – off shouldered dresses for the Tribally influenced simpletons was enough proof of their ulterior motives – but the simpletons were too much full of simplicity !!well I do understand – the Director had to show the young – fresh flower in a trendy dress – he has to keep the entire Indian audience on mind after all…. why would young men come the watch the movie otherwise eh!?

6.Movie is trying to show how utterly ‘dumb’ & ‘showy’ these Brand Creators are and how they work – like having beer / or in a Party – they select a brand name “VAGA” for their designer dresses – mentioning how beautifully it goes with Viagra !

7. The idea of Ajay – of having a spic & span city –cultured people who do not spit & piss anywhere they like – technologically sound – uniformed people around – crisp service – is a good idea though – even Shajid is shown to be impressed with the idea – …maybe the Director should come up with a second part of this movie – where it can be shown the building of such a city – keeping tradition & technology on mind – educated / literate people around – Ajay can use his marketing skills and Shajid – his Counselling skills & Human Resource Management skills …. to give shape to a traditionally rich & technologically sound – India ….United We stand – Divided we fall.
8. The above is not very difficult to achieve btw.- while my father was posted in Hasimara – we often went to Bhutan – and the roads, market place etc. were pretty well maintained – it was a rule there (at that point of time early 1980’s – dunno whether it still exists or Indian uncouth mentality has taken over) that no one can throw any garbage on roads etc. and if anyone is caught doing so – he/ she will be fined ! And just outside the gate – the India-Bhutan junction – it was the dirtiest possible area ever !!