Masand's Verdict: Guru | Reactions

MUST WATCH: Guru is the story of an ambitious, middle-class man who has big dreams.

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Rajdeep Sardesai

26/11: Terror comes precariously close

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The one between Guru and his mentor, newspaper magnate Maneck Dasgupta, played by Mithun Chakraborty - it's a scene, which in a film by any other director, would have been treated as a loud, screaming match, but here Mani Ratnam treats it gently, and yet he doesn't lose the gravity of the moment.

My favourite scene in this film is the one in which Guru visits the home of the journalist who's hell-bent on bringing him down. Once there, he discovers that the reporter, played by R Madhavan is married to his very dear friend, one who has a very special place in Guru's heart.

It's an awkward moment between the three of them, and no doubt it's now a complex relationship he shares with this journalist. But you have to see the simplicity and the beauty with which the director treats this scene.

It's moments like these that hold together the film and your interest in it, even when the screenplay begins to drag.

The film's second half moves at a sluggish pace, but I'm not sure how much Mani Ratnam can be blamed for that. You have to understand two things here: One, passage of time is always difficult to show on film. And two, it is after all the story of a man's life, you can't expect high-drama at every corner.

The sign of any good film - remember this always - is when all departments blend together seamlessly and no one department stands out from among the others. How many times have you felt that a film hasn't worked for you, but the camerawork really impressed you? Or the music stood out? The thing about Guru and about most films by Mani Ratnam is the consistency in its technical quality.

Having said that, I'm still going to point out that Rajiv Menon's cinematography is imaginative and also remarkable in the manner in which it effortlessly alternates depending on the mood - from eye-watering splendor in Aishwarya's rain song, to dramatic swish-pans in the court scenes, to the lavish, epic-scale trolley movements each time a train pulls into a station.

As for the music, what can one say about A R Rahman's score that hasn't been said before, except that he seems to reserve his most versatile best for Mani Ratnam.

Of the film's cast, Mithun Chakraborty playing the Gandhian newspaper baron, deserves mention for the dignity which he brings to the part, one that's clearly inspired by Indian Express founder Ramnath Goenka.

The actor in this film who truly blew my mind, is Aishwarya Rai. There is a silent grace, quiet nobility to her performance, which I have to admit I've never seen before. I think it can be safely said here that she's truly a director's actress.

It's very evident that Mani Ratnam is neither overwhelmed by her beauty, not intimidated by her star power and perhaps that's why he treats her character so regularly.

Of course the film belongs to Abhishek Bachchan, the protagonist, Guru himself. And in all honesty, Abhishek rises to the challenge like never before.

With varied expressions, with a change of gait, with studied body language, Abhishek plays both the younger Guru and the older man so impressively that you cannot help admit this is the best he's been, in years.

Now if you want me to nit-pick, then I'll admit the film as a whole, isn't free of flaws. The climax, in my opinion, is a tad weak, and there are enough indulgences that could have been avoided. But still, Guru is an experience you must enjoy.

Few filmmakers can translate their personal vision onto screen the way Mani Ratnam can. So that's two thumbs up for Guru - it's a must-watch for all.

Rating: (Very Good)