Review: The Tashkent files
On the night of 10th January, 1966, independent India’s 2nd prime minister shri lal bahadur shastri dies in Tashkent USSR. Not everyone was convinced that it was a natural death. Many theories surround his death and the one that floats up the most is the conspiracy that he had been poisoned that night, poison administered in his regular milk by cook ‘Jaan Mohommad’ who wouldn’t regularly serve him.
Plot:
Staring Naseerudin Shah (as PKR Natrajan) and Mithun Chakraborty (as Shyam Sundar Tripathi) in key roles as current day politicians. Shweta Prasad (Ragini Phule) is a young journalist who fakes news and is given the last opportunity to find a scoop for the media firm she works. Desperate to redeem herself, she gets into a game set by a caller who urges her to find out ‘Who Killed Shastri’ and sends her piles of research documentation on the mysterious death of Shastri. When her article hits the news-stands, she is approached by Shyam Sundar Tripathi who then talks to PKR Natrajan and they set up an eight member committee of diverse professionals to establish the truth or falsity of her allegation. Each committee member comes with an agenda of their own. Ragini is trapped in a web of international lies, deceit and political undertone.
Review:
This movie with its massive researched content, well documented factual script is a well-crafted thriller that startles me and holds me spellbound. The investigative adventure revolves around facts not emotions. Writer director ‘Vivek Agnihotri’ who postulates into global politics and provides insights into the dark political cover ups, weaves his understanding of the socio political world into writing.
A lot of research seems to have gone into the making of the story. The psychological play of committee members gives an intriguing equation of human minds of the present day political spectrum. The validation by real sons of the late leader adds credibility to the venture. Strong characterizations of the committee members deliver their roles effectively. Mandira Bedi as ‘Indira Joseph Roy’ who runs multiple NGOs. Pallavi Joshi as ‘Aiysha Ali Shah’ a strong and opinionated historian, Vinay Pathak as ‘Mukhtaar’ a spy who loved India, now hiding in Tashkent. Pankaj Tripathi as ‘Gangaram Jha’, a scientific theorist and nationalist.
The movie at points might not appease all kinds of audience as people interested in political terminologies, realism, socio political issues might absorb the arguments better. The movies gives an insight to the immoral practices carried out in thirst of power and money in name of secularism, racism, communism, pragmatism, socialism, nationalism. Giving us relevant accounts of CIA, USSR, 1965 Indo-Pak war, and the death of Dr. Homi Bhabha, unsolved cases of murder of Amar Singh, spy and undercover agents, the political concealment of diplomatic relationships between countries is highlighted. Also, the Mitrokhin Archives (of KGB spy and archiver Vasiliy Mitrokhin) merit perusal for interested citizens.
Shweta Prasad playing Ragini Phule gives a phenomenal performance despite being the youngest actor of the cast. The last monologue delivered by her is flabbergasting and will leave you moved. When Rana (youth leader played by Prashant Gupta) says ‘Ye desh Nehruji aur Gandhiji ka hai’, Ragini asks ‘Shastriji ka kyon nahi?’ and that hit me hard.
Naseerudin Shah’s character could have been more intriguing but was mundane and humdrum. Not only Lal Bahadur Shstri’s fight against foreign dominance but also his struggle with our own countrymen and corrupt judicial system is manifested. It is shame for our generation who doesn’t know that 2nd October is not only Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday but also Lal Bahadur Shastri’s birthdate
The makers do not display an overload docu drama, though the approach seems shrill at times, it presents a balanced perspective and isn’t overtly propagandist. With so much information in public domain the questions remained unanswered for over 50 years and those who question to seek truth are sidelined. Humongous efforts in presenting the most minute details make it the finest investigative thrillers of Bollywood.
As according to allegations Shastri was assassinated but slowly the ecosystem and the media erases the presence of the leader from our memory and the news fades away, the world moves on.
This movie surpassed my expectations to a great extent as it supports each and every event related to the controversial death of Shastri. Fantastic groundwork transports the audience into an extremely planned and detailed execution of an investigative journey. It Reveals disturbing historical truths accounting the forgotten national hero.
Plot:
Staring Naseerudin Shah (as PKR Natrajan) and Mithun Chakraborty (as Shyam Sundar Tripathi) in key roles as current day politicians. Shweta Prasad (Ragini Phule) is a young journalist who fakes news and is given the last opportunity to find a scoop for the media firm she works. Desperate to redeem herself, she gets into a game set by a caller who urges her to find out ‘Who Killed Shastri’ and sends her piles of research documentation on the mysterious death of Shastri. When her article hits the news-stands, she is approached by Shyam Sundar Tripathi who then talks to PKR Natrajan and they set up an eight member committee of diverse professionals to establish the truth or falsity of her allegation. Each committee member comes with an agenda of their own. Ragini is trapped in a web of international lies, deceit and political undertone.
Review:
This movie with its massive researched content, well documented factual script is a well-crafted thriller that startles me and holds me spellbound. The investigative adventure revolves around facts not emotions. Writer director ‘Vivek Agnihotri’ who postulates into global politics and provides insights into the dark political cover ups, weaves his understanding of the socio political world into writing.
A lot of research seems to have gone into the making of the story. The psychological play of committee members gives an intriguing equation of human minds of the present day political spectrum. The validation by real sons of the late leader adds credibility to the venture. Strong characterizations of the committee members deliver their roles effectively. Mandira Bedi as ‘Indira Joseph Roy’ who runs multiple NGOs. Pallavi Joshi as ‘Aiysha Ali Shah’ a strong and opinionated historian, Vinay Pathak as ‘Mukhtaar’ a spy who loved India, now hiding in Tashkent. Pankaj Tripathi as ‘Gangaram Jha’, a scientific theorist and nationalist.
The movie at points might not appease all kinds of audience as people interested in political terminologies, realism, socio political issues might absorb the arguments better. The movies gives an insight to the immoral practices carried out in thirst of power and money in name of secularism, racism, communism, pragmatism, socialism, nationalism. Giving us relevant accounts of CIA, USSR, 1965 Indo-Pak war, and the death of Dr. Homi Bhabha, unsolved cases of murder of Amar Singh, spy and undercover agents, the political concealment of diplomatic relationships between countries is highlighted. Also, the Mitrokhin Archives (of KGB spy and archiver Vasiliy Mitrokhin) merit perusal for interested citizens.
Shweta Prasad playing Ragini Phule gives a phenomenal performance despite being the youngest actor of the cast. The last monologue delivered by her is flabbergasting and will leave you moved. When Rana (youth leader played by Prashant Gupta) says ‘Ye desh Nehruji aur Gandhiji ka hai’, Ragini asks ‘Shastriji ka kyon nahi?’ and that hit me hard.
Naseerudin Shah’s character could have been more intriguing but was mundane and humdrum. Not only Lal Bahadur Shstri’s fight against foreign dominance but also his struggle with our own countrymen and corrupt judicial system is manifested. It is shame for our generation who doesn’t know that 2nd October is not only Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday but also Lal Bahadur Shastri’s birthdate
The makers do not display an overload docu drama, though the approach seems shrill at times, it presents a balanced perspective and isn’t overtly propagandist. With so much information in public domain the questions remained unanswered for over 50 years and those who question to seek truth are sidelined. Humongous efforts in presenting the most minute details make it the finest investigative thrillers of Bollywood.
As according to allegations Shastri was assassinated but slowly the ecosystem and the media erases the presence of the leader from our memory and the news fades away, the world moves on.
This movie surpassed my expectations to a great extent as it supports each and every event related to the controversial death of Shastri. Fantastic groundwork transports the audience into an extremely planned and detailed execution of an investigative journey. It Reveals disturbing historical truths accounting the forgotten national hero.
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