Review: Chirgut (Marathi)

Film: Chirgut (Marathi)
Director: Pradeep Ghosnikar
Cast: Upendra Limaye, Chinmay Mandlekar, Siya Patil & others
Rating: ***1/2
 
Marathi films in the year gone by have tried to touch many a raw nerve. Ranging from topics tackling rural decline (Pangira, Deool) to urban problems of housing (One Room Kitchen) and nuclear families (Dambis), filmmakers have explored issues close to the common man.
 
Chirgut is an extremely successful attempt at highlighting issues of corruption, government apathy and the fight for one’s rights. Meaning a discarded piece of cloth used for cleaning, the title stands for much more than that. So much thought has been put into it, it’s imperative the audience pays attention to what the filmmakers have to say.
 
College dropout Nagdev ‘Nagya’ Bhandare is leader of a revolutionary group called Navi Kranti. Brought up by an old eunuch in Mumbai’s Jawahar Nagar, Nagya grows up to become a social activist and closet poet. Strong opinions and wide understanding of the political process put Nagya in the forefront of a protest movement against a plan to redevelop the colony that reeks of a coup of sorts by the politician-builder nexus. Nagya takes up the cause of prostitutes and eunuchs along with others who call Jawahar Nagar home.

A group of sociology students, initially engaged by the government to present a socio-political view of the redevelopment, end up joining Nagya’s movement sensing the government’s ploy influence the report. Slowly the movement spreads to the whole of Maharashtra, each region demanding to be heard.
 
It is then that a chirgut (representing the janta), discarded as worthless by the government, wraps itself up to a stick and burns as a torch. What with all the scams, corruption and apathy nibbling away at India’s political fabric, Chirgut couldn’t have come at a better time.
 
Screenplay and dialogue writer Sanjay Pawar deserves a standing ovation for explosive lines he packs into the narrative. Most of them are delivered by Limaye and there is no doubt of his stature as a National Award-winning actor (Jogwa). With his power-packed acting, coupled with trademark expressions that compel one to stand up and take notice, Limaye’s performance could easily be the year’s best. When an MLA tries to buy him out, Nagya, with an irreverent smile, shoots back, “Mee tar bina nivadnukicha neta ahech” (I am already an unelected leader). Limaye’s character is heavily inspired by Marathi poet, Dalit activist and Padma Shri recipient Namdeo Dhasal.

Limaye shares screen space with another talented Marathi actor, Chinmay Mandlekar (Pangira, Gajaar), whose character’s restraint is symbolic of maturity brought about by education and worldly-wise opinions. Siya Patil as an opinionated sociologist, with a conscience to reckon with, puts in decent effort. So do Madhav Abhyankar, Sanjay Kulkarni, Nayan Jadhav, Pramod Shinde, Dr Sharad Bhutadiya and Ajit Bhagat.

There is no doubt the subject of Chirgut is heavy and controversial, but they are issues that affect every common man. Some of Nagya’s monologues and discussions between Vijay and Jhanvi demand all your attention; they’re precious lessons in civic sense, fundamental rights and duties like voting. Initially, it gives an impression of being scattered without focus, but in no time the main plot comes on track.

The manipulative shades of politics and its proximity to influential businessmen is well-explained and put into perspective.

One cannot swear by Chirgut’s production values, but the content more than makes up for its flaws. Among the peeves are the love story of Mandlekar and Patil and also that of Limaye, which make no difference to the central theme, and slow down the narrative. Even the dramatic background score sticks out as jarring sometimes.
 
What Chirgut deals with, albeit sensitively, is what affects every person in the current state of the nation. It moves you to take stock of your role in society and eventually take charge.
 
After enduring all the mindless comedies that are churned out by the Marathi film industry every year, Chirgut is one film you will cherish for a long time. Don’t miss it.