Siddharth - The Prisoner Hindi Movie
Siddarth - The Prisoner which has won a few awards at film festivals, released today. Was quite keen to watch the film as Rajat Kapoor films are high on quality and substance. Also read few days back on a national daily that Rajat Kapoor didnt bathe for 40 days to get under the skin of the character! Through the making of the film, quite similar to what Aamir Khan did during his Rangeela days, Rajat successfully avoided taking bath. Whats more Rajat also calls this his best performance to date. Enough reasons for a hardcore Bollywood fanatic to watch a film...
Just released from prison, Siddharth Roy (Rajat Kapoor), once a famous writer, completes a new manuscript. He re-engages with the outside world, hoping that the new book will restore his reputation and also reconcile him with his estrangled wife, Maya. Fate has other plans for Roy, when his briefcase gets exchanged at a cyber cafe with a similar briefcase containing a large sum of money (20 lacs). Roy looses the only copy of his new manuscript, while Mohan, the cyber cafe manager, comes under pressure from mob bosses to recover the lost money.
In the midst of growing despair about the lost manuscript, Roy is reconciled with his three year old son through a scheming housemaid. Unable to find happiness in the money he has found Roy begins to desire the custody of his son. Meanwhile the pressure mounts on Mohan as he looses his job and is forced to go into hiding from the mob. He must find Roy and money at any cost.
Lets start with the many negatives. Firstly, what was the stinky no-bath routine all about? There was no actual need for it, what with Siddharth being released from prison right in the beginning of the film. Just a publicity stunt?
Flaws in the storyline are many - The reason behind why Siddarth was jailed is not known. His enstrangled wife never makes an appearance, does she even care about her son? There is a servant who allows his son to meet him.. just so that she gets to be with her lover!
The pace of the film is so slow, you can take a small nap or two in between scenes and yet not loose out on much. There are a few twists which are predicatable, the sacrifice of earthy desires and pleasures gets too preachy. The climax of the rather ineffective film is hugely disappointing. The dialogues lacks even an iota of intensity. The camerawork is filled with RGV-like close up shots.
Amongst the positives, the background score is brilliant. Rajat Kapoor in a poorly etched characted is quite good. Sachin Nayak as the cyber cafe manager is superb.
To sum up, Siddharth - The Prisoner just doesn't work. With the pace being dreadfully slow, the film is one boring watch.. Yawn..!
MOVIE REVIEWS