Intriguing and novel, the concept of Shamitabh is unique. That's enough to draw people to the theatres. But there's a lot more that you can expect from Shamitabh. Dealing with a never-tried-before concept, R Balki manages to hold his ground and make Shamitabh an interesting watch. Here's why:
Top notch performances:
The movie is laced with some brilliant performances. Well scripted and performed, each character aces their act. Big B is impeccable with his baritone voice working the magic throughout. You have watched him mouth dialogues with the same voice for over 40 years, but yet there's a difference that you notice in Shamitabh. The film is almost a tribute to his baritone voice, which was once the reason why he was thrown out from his radio job in real life. As the frustrated angry old man this time, he manages to strike a chord as much as he always did with his angry young man avatar. Dhanush on the other hand, has also nailed his mute act. From his expressions to his emotions, Dhanush definitely is the dark horse in Bollywood today. Having to share screen space with someone as huge as Big B is itself intimidating but Dhanush manages to hold onto his ground and sparkles throughout the film with a stellar performance. If Big B is amazing, Dhanush is no less! Akshara too manages to create some impact in the film, dominated by the two stalwarts of Bollywood.
The unique concept:
In our interviews with Balki and Amitji, both had called the concept of Shamitabh 'unique'. The never-tried-before formula might have been a huge gamble but hopefully it has paid off. A story of two characters- both having their share of advantages and disadvantages- but both being incomplete without each other, Shamitabh beautifully fuses the emotions with the story line. While Dhanush is the mute character who aspires to be an actor but struggles to make it, Big B plays an old, frustrated man who aspired to be an actor when young but could not make it because of his rich baritone voice. At a time when Bollywood is engulfed with mindless dramas and brainless action entertainers, Shamitabh comes across as a film starkly different from the crowd.
The conflict:
While you would have wanted the conflict in the film to be implemented and executed in a better fashion, the clash of egos forms the major crux of the story. While Dhanush grabs the spotlight and becomes the new age superstar in Bollywood, Big B's character becomes the residue, living on Dhanush's cheques and tolerating his starry tantrums.
The climax:
The film with a runtime of around two-and-half hours is extremely engaging, with hardly any moment leaving you bored. But the climax just adds a new gravitas to the film. A film that somewhere deals with a bit of silence has an exceptional climax, which leaves the audience speechless. Without giving out any spoiler, what can be said about the climax is that while the film ends like any other cliched Bollywood film today, the way Balki explains the finishing sequence is exemplary.
That Rekha moment:
Shamitabh is not a film where you would be whistling and cheering. Yet there's one moment that drew the loudest amount of cheers from the audience. The Rekha moment. In a particular sequence, Rekha is seen giving away the Best Actor trophy to Dhanush and the moment Dhanush starts his speech in Big B's voice, there's a glitter in Rekha's eyes and immediately you are taken back to the Silsila days. Although Big B and Rekha do not share screen space even for a second, that moment in itself is a scene stealer.
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