Review: 'Moraya' is commendable, but not entertaining

Film: Moraya (Marathi)
Director: Avadhoot Gupte
Cast: Santosh Juvekar, Chinmay Mandlekar, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Ganesh Yadav, Spruha Joshi, Pari Telang
Rating: **1/2

As soon as the month of Shravan begins, bamboo scaffoldings covered with blue tarpaulin start emerging in little corners of streets, housing colonies and parks. And as the month passes, festive paraphernalia finds its way in. Those living in Dadar steer clear of the market in the west, while the Lalbaug residents start marking alternative routes to work as they get ready to welcome Ganpati into their homes, and into their city.

While Ganpati has found a way into films through a song sequence or a climax shot in the crowded Visarjan, it was only expected that the story of Ganeshotsav would find place in a mainstream Marathi film. Avadhoot Gupte’s Moraya arrives bang on time as the pandals are decorated and idols being given finishing touches.

Moraya opens with a grand montage of Lalbaugcha Raja heading on its final procession towards Chowpatty. The titles capture the vibrance, joy and the madness that is the festival. And yes, it sets your expectations high.

Manya (Juvekar) is pissed at the end of his Dahi-handi practice to know that a bunch of guys who promised to be on his team have joined his rival Samya’s team (Mandlekar). Promising each other that they will conquer a 10-tier human tower, both the protagonists head out in the city. Through a festival that builds up to the mass euphoria of Ganeshotsav, the director establishes the conflict between the two protagonists. Meanwhile, a Beemer driving Gujarati builder announces that the two chawls will be broken down to be made into a massive complex and the residents of the two warring chawls -- Ganesh Chawl and Khatau Chawl -- will be rehabilitated in a single tower. In their fierce competition to outdo each other, Manya and Samya start plotting and planning “highlights” for their festival. This includes managing media attention, getting sponsors, celebrities and more. Whoever manages to trump the competition, gets to retain their Ganeshotsav for the new tower.

Of course, the director touches upon various issues that have been much debated like vargani (donation) collection, loudspeakers, celebrities, item songs being played, political parties gaining mileage and commercialization of the festival. There is a track thrown in to show the Hindu-Muslim divide during the festival too, which comes to a full blow towards the climax of the film.

Ganeshotsav and the purpose that Tilak had behind it have long been forgotten, the film tries to explain, but it is marred by a rather weak screenplay that stretches on and on with the same plot. Just when the pace of the film picks up and engages you, in comes a song or a long monologue and you find yourself shifting in your chair. The songs are interesting, but given Gupte’s repertoire of foot-tapping numbers like Aika Dajiba, Meri Madhubala and Kande Pohe, one isn’t surprised. But the songs are far too many and the narrative doesn’t really move forward with most of them. In its runtime of 121 minutes, the film ends up feeling long and drags on at the end.

While Prabhavalkar plays a catalyst that works to pacify the warring boys, Sawant is brought in as an inspector who brings some much needed satire. Mandlekar and Juvekar are in a comfort zone while debutante Joshi flits in and out as a plain Jane Manya is in love with.

The Ganpati Kawwali in the film is unique, but something seems just plain wrong with it. Not only does it sound rather forced, it just feels wrong that two strong genres of devotional expression have been merged into one to create a pungent sort of melody. Gupte makes up for it with the title track which we can expect to play across pandals in the city this year.

Moraya has a fabulous plot going for it however it gets repetitive and becomes a victim of preachy dialogue. Towards the end, you feel exhausted with the film. Also, my grouch with the film is that while it highlights why Ganeshotsav has stopped serving the purpose Lokmanya Tilak wanted it to, the film fails to highlight the fact that many Mandals have set up scholarships and charities and that the festival, with its loudspeakers and processions provide an opportunity for lower middle-class youth to unwind.

Gupte’s attempt to highlight the dark-side of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav is commendable. Entertaining, not so much!