GURU - Lessons Learnt. Review on Guru (2007)

Urban (If that’s the antonym of villager!!! Cityzen would be better?) * Non - Visionary (What prefix do you fix for a man who hasn’t a clear vision? If not non, un or ir?) *   Loser (Ha Ha! This is very easy. If not winner, then it gotta be loser). That was how I reacted when I first saw the poster of Guru (courtesy Guru Anna of lazygeek.com). With Abhisek’s back being backed in that poster, it made a perfect resemblance – my back against the wall!

If staring at the poster of the movie for a couple of minutes created diffidence in me, staring at the movie for a couple of hours created a world of difference. As I was lost trying to explain to myself and to others why I couldn’t make a good transition into business, this Guru teaches a lesson. Gurukanth Desikan(Desai for those who watched the un-dubbed version) in his riveting climax speech notes “Do you know how much I lost in this enquiry and others? I have lost my hand, lost my credibility, lost my voice and what not? But I will never lose one thing. You cannot steal it from me. That’s my bravery. I will never lose it under any circumstances” Boy! That was my missing recipe. Don’t blame your luck. As the saying goes “Fortune favours the Brave”.

Staying with sayings, there are couple more -”People living in glass houses should never throw stones at others” and “As they sow, so they reap”. I have always taken the first one very seriously in my life. I can quote numerous instances from my own personal life where I have seen people equally wrong as the wrongdoer get away with their designations, stature or Vitamin M. This would never help the wrongdoer come back to the system. It would rather enhance his enrage over the person and the system. I always believe in principle that terror happens because not of one person’s error, but his efforts to mask the error. Take George Bush for example. I also believe in the second saying very much. Once again I can quote umpteen examples from my life for my philosophy that every good or bad you do, truth or lie you tell will always boomerang to you. Do one good thing – you are bound to receive one. Tell a lie, you will soon meet a liable liar. The film Guru dwells upon these philosophies.

Everyone speaks of the general dire need of entrepreneurs and the role of Government in the future. However no one is ready to dwell on the past and present on how the Government is a General Dyer to the need of entrepreneurs. I hail from a city called Coimbatore. My city is a well established industrial city with flourishing business and entrepreneurs. The growth of the city like Guru was with zero Government participation. And the city had to fight all odds against no one but the Government. But what mattered was growth which we attained with ignorant and nonsensical policies. The City broke free towards development. But finally its rate of development and means were questioned, rather than what had to be! Just like Guru, the common man of Coimbatore would ask – “Where your policies true and bold? It required me to salute some or bang some! Now why in the hell are you here asking why did I salaam or bang?” You should just listen to the applause from the audience at 01.15 hours IST – that says all about Guru.

I think I have written much about my personal and social life in attempting a movie review. That’s exactly what Guru is – one person’s life and his society’s life - A life from which I and you can draw perfect parallels .I don’t think you should need something about the story. Most of you would have watched the movie or at least read half a dozen reviews. So lemme skip the movie and focus on its makers.

Abishek Bachan– Like Father, Like Son! He may not be a villager. He need not necessarily be a visionary. But he is definitely a winner with Guru. Just as I read in one review, he is no more Junior B! (9/10)

Mithun da– Never expected him to get such a decent character. We definitely need such great characters in print and electronic media in these testing times. And Mithun has made the most of the character (8/10)

Aishwarya Rai– Is an able ally to Abishek(I meant in the movie) (7/10)

Vidya Balan– With a challenging and sweet character, she is upto the task. I have never seen her enact before and therefore was a surprise package. (8/10)

Madhavan– He has grown young in physique and older with experience. (7/10)

Others– Arya Babbar did a neat job as Jagadeesh. The guy who plays Kirubakar, the judge in the judiciary commission and the cashier all stay in your memory for some time. (7/10)

Sreekar Prasad– He had the numero uno job and he is proved yet again why he is Mani’s choice numero uno! (9/10)

Azhagam Perumal– For those who watched the Tamil version, this guy was equal to Mani’s humour and wit with his dialogues. Of course, he is a product of Mani’s school and that makes life easier. (8/10)

Rajeev Menon– If Bombay was bomb, Guru was great. Rajeev Menon captures the moods and lights very beautifully. Too good for two eyes! He competed well with Mani in his two Tamil movies – Minsara Kanavu and Kandukondain Kandukondian. But he combines with Mani, better than he competes. Something Lee Hesh could consider. (10/10)

ARR & Maniratnam– These two magicians from Madras have too high a repute to live with. They m ay have transcended cities, states and countries – but the local audience went bonkers when their names flashed continuously for some 10 seconds.  ARR has proved his class with his sheer variety of compositions that suit the mood of story. Mayya Mayya, Barso Re, Tere Bina and even Ek Lo Ek Muft would sensitize your senses. As usual(may be cruel sometimes), Mani uses songs sparingly and liberalises few songs as BGMs. BGM, as ARR defines it is Best, Great and Marvellous and that holds good for Guru too.  Mani Sir is known for his off beat themes and his spot on narratives. If a person can escalate you emotions over the life of a don (Nayagan), the trauma of a baby (Anjali), the bonding between rowdies(Thalapathi), politicians(Iruvar), half brothers (Agni Natchatram) and lot more, a bio-pic of a businessman should be a child’s play. And trust Mani Sir to make nationally oriented movies a pleasure to watch. Mani Sir has a list of films which we are all proud of. Guru should be in the top of it. The confusion is there is no bottom and every movie you watch seems to fight it out at the top. Let the fight go on - atleast as long as Lajjo. (20/20)

This is neither a business documentary, nor a motivational corporate AVI. This is a dose of world class cinema for today’s audience who would pride on the brand of Indian cinema. The next four days are Pongal Holidays and my foremost view is to view the movie four more times. And for you people from the Guru himself “They are wasting time bothering about yesterday’s news. What we should bother is tomorrow’s news?“. Let’s work towards a better tomorrow!!!