Maanzi, the mountain man is not
just a mission movie like any other fictional movies. It's a mirror of Indian
society after independence and tries to showcase the struggles and aspirations
of people in rural India especially in northern part of India.
Maanzi, the mountain man is based
on real life story of Dashrath Maanzi popularly known as the mountain man.
Staying in a remote village of Gaya district of Bihar, he is facing atrocities
of upper caste people. But Dashrath is a free spirited fighter with a positive
attitude towards life. His struggles against oppressive social order are laced
with different emotions in varying circumstances. He successfully woes and
elopes with his childhood bride against the wishes of his in laws (yes, he is
married at young age with bride residing with in laws). Unable to bear the open
advances towards his dear wife by the
village thug, he stand up against the
mighty upper castes. Later. In a shocking and accidental death of Fagunia,
Dashraths wife, he makes cutting a road through hill to nearest town, his
mission of life. In his journey of 22 years of hill cutting, illiterate Dashrath is mocked, discouraged, cheated,
loved and finally supported. How he successfully completes his promise to
himself against all the odds is the story of the movie.
The subject of the movie does not
restricts itself to the love story of Dashrath and Fagunia but also attempts focus on rouge and oppressive
social order, corrupt elitist rule which
killed dreams of aspirational generations in rural India. There's also a
reference to retaliatory naxalite movement whose violent means are
unsuccessfully protested by Dashrath.lt goes on to showcase the basic belief of
India's folks in peaceful means of social and economic transformation, at a
times even by dedicating one's whole life to the cause. Yet, no one cares
because of wide prevailing gap in material standards of the different classes
and widespread corruption.Is it just a movie on social and economic
conditions of certain sections of
population?- no, it's also and more rightfully the story of the man who
resolved to break the mountain in the memory of beloved lost wife.
Ketan Mehta is an acclaimed movie
maker. This is his earnest attempt to highlight and immortalise the story of
Dashrath Manzi. In such movies the viewer must get a clear idea of the targets
by showing developments in his work. The biggest flaw of the movie is that it
fails to gives a clear picture of
targets set by Manzhi for himself and progress made on hill cutting.he
is seen challenging a mighty mountain giving an impression that he is pitted
against the same but later we realise that he goes on to cut some other portion
of the hill. Although it's difficult to show such development in respect of
something like a mountain, the challenge of the
mountain whose barrier is
villainous for Dashrath does not reach properly. Feel of Bihar also goes for
toss when Maharashtra bus is shown ferrying the passengers. Barring such minor
flaws the movie remains faithful to the subject. But in spite of sincerity of
the makers, the film fails to move the viewer and engage emotionally. It’s
merely a depiction of dramatic events unfolding in the life of Dashrath rather
than cinematic expression of his struggles to achieve his eccentric objective
in the span of 22 years.
Nawajuddin Siddiqui is 'shaandar,
jaandar, jyabardashtya' (I need not say anything more). He lives the life
of Dashrath Maanzhi. The emotive ride and the finer display of the Dashraths
passion is exemplary. His interaction with the journo in various stages of his
life, difficulties and moments of ups and downs are finely displayed. Radhika
Apte supports very well. Ketan Mehta does a reasonably good job but short of
making it a 'shaandar, jaandar, jyabardashtya' biographical considering
the bar of Indian viewership is raised by numerous such films ouring from
internet and television. What is more appealing part of the story is that it
subtly and coincidently portrays the struggle for basics of lives by the
downtrodden in the villages of India, It’s a story of lost generations whose
efforts could not be utilized by the ruling elites and the political
dispensation in the nation building.
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