Movie review – Madaari – Irrfan manages to rock, the film just falls short
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By Joginder Tuteja

Rating: 2.5/5

‘The story could well be implausible, but then it sounds good’

This is something that director Nishikant Kamat says twice in the film, first at the very beginning and then the second time at a crucial juncture of the film. After all, as interesting a revenge tale of a common man may sound, in a realistic set up like Madaari, it does lead one to question if something like that can ever be possible.

One ends up getting these thoughts right from the time Irrfan kidnaps the son of a Home Minister and later gets into a negotiation, hence leading to an interesting twist in the tale towards the pre-climax. Still, from the core premise perspective, one echos the sentiments of the central protagonist when he questions those who are accountable for scandals that happen right at the top, hence impacting those who are at the bottom of the hierarchy.

The issue though doesn’t lie in the question or the manner in which it is asked. It is in the journey that follows and the eventual destination that it reaches. While the journey by itself eats up the screen time at least 20 minutes extra, the finale is not at all convincing, more so due to the dialogue that is moderated by Irrfan to the culmination that is ultimately achieved. In both aspects, the film could have done much better had Nishikant Kamat kept a stranglehold over the proceedings.

As a matter of fact, he does that really well for the first 30 odd minutes of the film. Right from the kidnapping that takes place to the entry of Jimmy Sheirgill on the scene to the investigation that follows, one finds himself on the edge of the seat. However, at places, the conversations between Irrfan and the kidnapped kid (Vishesh Bansal) become a little too tedious. There are occasional smiles but by and large, it starts becoming a way too monotonous, what with Irrfan traveling in buses and trains for a large duration of the film.

Things do perk up though whenever Jimmy (superb and reliable as always) comes on the scene, as well as the interactions that take place with the Home Minister (Tusshar Dalvi). As for Irrfan, he continues to showcase his acting prowess all over again. Watch out for his scene in the hospital after the tragedy and you would know.

The narrative has its moments, especially when stock footage is used for a good amount of screen time, and also the build up towards the climax. The song ‘Dama Dama Dam’ comes at a very interesting juncture of the film and further perks up the proceedings.

Now if only the film would have stayed tout consistently right through its narrative, Madaari could well have been a good mix of A Wednesday and Highway. For now, it falls just a little short.