Breaking worldly shackles

SIDDHARTH - THE PRISONER
Cast: Rajat Kapoor, Sachin Nayak, Praddip Sagar
Director: Pryas Gupta
Rating: **

The title of this film is no coincidence. In fact it’s rather a give-away as to where this languid, pensive study, highly influenced by European cinema (note the peppy background score) is headed. And just to confirm its philosophy, the film opens with the following lines from the Rig Veda: ‘Make me immortal in that realm where all longings and desires disappear’.

Siddharth Roy (Rajat Kapoor), a successful novelist, is released from prison and embarks on a journey of catharsis and redemption via a new book. However when his briefcase, containing his manuscript, accidentally gets switched with that of a don’s case at a cybercafé, both his fate and the cybercafé attendant’s fortunes get dramatically altered.

Roy is torn between the loss of his only copy of the manuscript and the lure of lakhs of much-needed rupees, while the cybercafé attendant Mohan (Sachin Nayak) is threatened by the mob unless he recovers the missing money. During all of this, Roy lives in a silent, lonely and stifling world, estranged from his wife and desperately reaching out to his little son. Over time he is overcome with greed and selfishness until he eventually breaks free of material shackles.

Pryas Gupta is credited with story, direction, screenplay, dialogues, editing and as executive producer and producer. For being a virtual one-man army, he deserves respect. He’s also created a technically adept debut feature. His story’s central idea is noble, timeless and relevant; however there isn’t enough happening on screen to keep the viewer engaged.

While Kapoor conveys his character’s afflictions with quiet skill, Sachin Nayak as Mohan fails to evoke the required pathos and the cast of goons play their stereotypical parts. What mostly lets Siddharth-The Prisoner down is it’s laborious pace and Roy’s convenient epiphany.