Biopic over epics

Although interesting,epics dont go beyond the obvious whereas biopics tell you so much more about a person.

Although interesting,epics dont go beyond the obvious whereas biopics tell you so much more about a person.

When I asked a college-going student why he was going to watch Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai,he said he was curious to see the life of a real-life smuggler. The success of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai,reportedly based on the life of the 70s Mumbai-based smuggler Haji Mastan,proves that bio-pics of real life heroes can be as interesting as a scripted story. After all,famous people like Mastan have a multifaceted personality that the audience is always curious to know on which aspect the director is going to concentrate. The gray shades in Mastans character and his equally intriguing romantic life made it an unique experience for the theatre-going audience.

This week Ram Gopal Varmas Rakht Charitra based on the life of Andhra Pradeshs controversial political figure Ravindra Paritala is all set for release. The politician who was slain by his rivals at the age of 47 had seen so many dramatic and blood-curdling twists and turns that director Ram Gopal Varma said that many a time he was at a loss to know what to leave and what to include in his film. And Vivek Oberoi,who is playing the title-role,had mentioned,Ravis life is more intriguing than any fictitious piece of work. It will be interesting to see how Varma interlaces the negative traits of Ravis personality while putting in the better aspects of his persona,the way Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai did. Besides Varma,there are others who are busy translating the dramatic events in the lives of famous personalities for the silver screen. Everyone is curious to know how Anurag Basu,who is working on the life of Kishore Kumar, will present the eccentricities of Hindi cinemas enduring singer-actor,and how Rakeysh Mehra will turn the spotlight on the life of Flying Sikh Milkha Singh. Interest in the legendary actor-director Guru Dutt has also risen over the past year. To make these films work,however,will require more than adding the glamorous and infamous bits about these people on screen. A lot will depend on what the director wants to show and on which aspects he wants to concentrate.

On the other side of the spectrum are religious epics. Last week,I was very curious to see Ramayana-The Epic,wondering how director Chetan Desai was going to make it a new experience for the theatre-going audience. Everything about the film was in place,from the stunning animation to the picture- perfect Ram and Sita to the music. But there was nothing new in terms of the story. This is because you know what is coming next. There is no curiosity for the person sitting in the audience. Ram is so entrenched in our lives that adding anything new becomes a moot point for filmmakers. This reduces the appeal of such epics compared to biopics where the audience is sure to learn something more than they already know about the character on whose life the film is based. Given a choice,I,like many others,would prefer biopics over epics.