Customer Reviews

Maqbool DVD 2004

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I enjoyed this take on "the Scottish Play". A very atypical Bollywood movie.. understated, well-acted, solid. Some of what seemed like awkward edits I read as symbolic of Maqbool's thought processes falling aprt. I could be very wrong, but it allowed me to not worry about it!
The director did some creative re-thinking of the play: Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah as cops who are corrupt/prescient were great as the witch stand-ins. Making Nimmi/Lady M. a mistress first rather than wife gave her social-climbing a different, even vulnerable edge. And while it may seem typically Bollywood to add a daughter and son-in-law to the mix ( Sameera & Guddu), it opened up the storyline.
Performances: Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah were prefectly cast, Tabu was fabulous as Nimmi and Irfan Khan was oddly magnetic as Maqbool. The supporting cast did a fine job.
While the movie was roughly faithful to the play in broad strokes, I wouldn't try to force the parallels; it will only confuse you. Maqbool is an excellent watch. I hope the director isn't sick of spinning off Western classics. After Omkara and Maqbool, I'd love to see what he could do with another Shakespeare play, or even Greek tragedy.

Director Vishal Bhardwaj's first foray into the world of Shakespeare is nothing short of astounding--'Maqbool' is one of the finest adaptations of 'Macbeth' ever produced. His interpretation, while faithful to the story, is no slave to it, and he spins an enthrallingly distinct version of the Scottish play. The elderly king here is an Indian mob boss called Abbaji, Macbeth is his underling Maqbool, and Lady Macbeth is Abbaji's wicked mistress Nimmi, who goads Maqbool into supplanting Abbaji and claiming her as the reward. And instead of three witches, there are two comical astrologers. Equal credit for this masterpiece goes to lead actors Irrfan Khan and Tabu, who dig deep into the warped psyches of Maqbool and Nimmi and flesh out these disturbed characters with original, mesmerizing portrayals. Nimmi's motivations are complex and myriad as she manipulates Macbool's insecurities, and his transformation from mild-mannered servant to monstrous leader is frightening. Bhardwaj even improves upon the play by adding a reason for the lady's otherwise inconsistent, guilt-induced descent into madness: the uncertain paternity of her unborn child. - The Bollywood Ticket: The American guide to Indian movies (Subscribe: The Bollywood Ticket)

The product (DVD) quality and service I received was outstanding. I particularly enjoyed the accurate messages informing me of the status of my order.

There's a reason why Tabu is considered one of the best actresses in Indian Cinema. To me she is one of the best actresses in the world. if only, the US audience could see her body of work, then they will know what the Indian Cinema have been been raving about. And this movie just proves what a great actress she is. Her versatility astounds me. In this movie, you will like her, you will hate her and sympathize with her. The very last scene with her and Irrfan Khan (who plays Miyan Maqbool) is a classic. The way those two actors execute the scene was just flawless. Irrfan and Tabu have a great on-screen chemistry and their top caliber acting is really something to marvel.

I have always admired Tabu's selection of films. She's known to do low-budget films and tackle different roles. She's also one of very few actresses who can pull off any role with ease. Her movie with Indian movie legend Amitabh Bachchan in "Cheeni Kum" just proves what a versatile and intelligent actress she truly is. No other actress in India could pull off that role with Amitabh, being it a May-December relationship. You will truly believe in the story.

I just can't say enough about her immense talent. I just wish she did more films. And I do hope that Mira Nair does come up with a story to put Tabu and Forest Whitaker (who is a big fan of Tabu)together.

This probably is the best screen adaptation of Macbeth I have come across. It is a haunting morality play set in Bombay underworld. The whole movie is completely non-judgemental and thin boundaries between good and evil explored by making you think. The performances are amazing. Throughout the movie I was not sure whether to root for Tabu (playing lady Macbeth) or hate her. Pankaj Kapoor will be known for his portrayal of strong yet cunning "Abbaji" for years to come. The atmosphere created by Vishal is amazingly realistic. Over that Vishal has rendered some great tunes to great words of Gulzar. Hats off to this guy, I expect to see one of the greatest Indian director in him in time to come.