All those who compared Talvar with Rashomon clearly don't have a clue what Akira Kurosawa tries to depict in his groundbreaking masterpiece. It must be understood that Kurosawa never makes an attempt to lead the viewer. He just shows us the same event from four different point of views. And he doesn't feed us with lies (Talvar, on the contrary, comes across as a propaganda film), only the different faces of truth. Talvar, on the other hand, is a different ball game. Not that it is bad but one finds it rather difficult to appreciate its desperation as a work of cinema. Everything about the movie looks somewhat forced, as if someone is knocking at the doors of creativity in a hope to conjure up a semblance of realism. A craving for realism in an attempted "Whodunit" is not exactly the best idea.
Neeraj Kabi seems to be missing his mojo (an actor of his caliber deserve meatier caricatures). Konkona Sen too looks a bit out of place. And while Irrfan Khan fails to bring his A-game to the table, his performance nonetheless is the movie's strongest point (his scenes with Tabu, who makes a guest appearance, are quite solid), especially thanks to his characteristic wry humour and wit that offer some comic relief at crucial moments. But even that is a bit forced. Don't believe me? Just consider him (and another character) referring to the Missionary Position as "Dharam Pracharak Aasan" and Pornography as "Ashleel Sahitya" in one of the sequences. Overall, Talvar, given its promise, proves to be an underwhelming experience.
For a detailed analysis of the film, please visit my film blog "A Potpourri of Vestiges".
Neeraj Kabi seems to be missing his mojo (an actor of his caliber deserve meatier caricatures). Konkona Sen too looks a bit out of place. And while Irrfan Khan fails to bring his A-game to the table, his performance nonetheless is the movie's strongest point (his scenes with Tabu, who makes a guest appearance, are quite solid), especially thanks to his characteristic wry humour and wit that offer some comic relief at crucial moments. But even that is a bit forced. Don't believe me? Just consider him (and another character) referring to the Missionary Position as "Dharam Pracharak Aasan" and Pornography as "Ashleel Sahitya" in one of the sequences. Overall, Talvar, given its promise, proves to be an underwhelming experience.
For a detailed analysis of the film, please visit my film blog "A Potpourri of Vestiges".