Many thanks to Prakash Jha for dealing such a contentious issue (in a balanced way, thanks for telling us question like “do you believe in reservation?” is a silly question, thanks for scrutinizing our education system through a most popular medium (ie cinema) and thanks for giving a deserving and worthy role to Amitabh Bachan (unlikely to movies like budhha hoga tera baapwherein his talent is insulted)
Prakash Jha has not dealt Aarakshan rather our education system as a whole. Reservation is not a contentious issue. Its corporatization of education that has made it an “issue”. Education has become “no-guarantee business” and therefore the most ‘profitable’ one. Its lack of value education that makes reservation a divider between “two Indias”.
Reservation is an issue over which discussion heads nowhere. No one reaches to conclusion. It starts with polite discussion and ends with heavy mind and loud voices. Here Prakash Jha attempted to convey why we don’t reach to conclusion. Because solution lies not within but outside it. In India ‘Siksha’ is a culture. We respect our teachers even today. But what if they start considering us a customer??? What if they are concerned with their balance sheet instead of the result of their students??? What if they start analyzing ‘market trend’ for their business loss rather pondering over the ‘why factor’ due to which ‘his’ student got less marks?? And after this we should expect the respect?? And therefore education has been deprived with its soul.
As a result reservation is not a concerned matter. It’s our education system that has made reservation a fretful issue. we are misattributing resevation as the cause of hurdle in our career. But in actuality it’s the changed notion of education that deceives us.
Due to this changed notion various questions come up - how many of us want to be a teacher??Why not there should be largest allocation of budget on education that is the basis of the human resource?? Why corporatization of education is not proscribed?? Why some jobs (like IAS, IPS, Engineering etc) have been glamorized and being teacher or scientist is marginalized. Why not there be a service like ITS (Indian Teaching Services as suggested in the movie)???
Prakash Jha has raised the alarm. Society should ponder over this.
In cinematic context role of Amitabh Bachhan is commendable. Saif Ali khan has done great in spite of looking over aged. Prateek babbar and depika padunkod are replaceable characters. They would have no justification why ‘only’ they should be given chance. Tanvi aazmi (played Amitabh’s wife) has got the opportunity to portray a very powerful character without much words and she done it well. Manoj bajpai is at his best.
Mukesh Tiwari, Manoj Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Darshan Jariwala and Saurabh Shukla are as usual perfect. You will like Yashpal Sharma in positive character for a change.
Songs are good (Prasoon Joshi after all). I could not understand why song “mauka” made a narrow escape from editor’s desk. In “kaun si dor” you will get an opportunity to listen chhunilaal mishra a renowned vocalist of Kirana Gharana.
“Roshnii” is a motivation background song that connect us with the character’s state of mind.
In crux…if you like thought provoking stuff in cinema then its .. Recommended.:)
