Hindi (U/A)
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Sonu Sood, Neha Dhupia, Amit Sadh, Vinay Pathak
Director: Kabeer Kaushik
Rating: Above Average
If you ever get the opportunity to meet Kabeer Kaushik, the director of Naseeruddin Shah-Sonu Sood starrer Maximum, observe how he spaces each word distinctively and deliberately - weighing and watching each one of them.
Alternately, until Kaushik hits the high spot with that one elusive 'big hit' (he found critical acclaim and average box-office success with Sehar while Chamku sank without a trace) check out Maximum. His protagonists have taken the idea of minimum dialogue and measured speech for maximum impact straight from Kaushik, and it works.
This no-holds barred cop flick is an unapologetic ideation on corruption, politics, ambition and greed for one-upmanship. Set in Bombay of 2003, post the blasts and riots, Maximum revolves around two encounter specialists (Shah as Arun Inamdar and Sood as Pratap Pandit) who are assigned to do a clean-up job of the underworld's gangsters.
As bitter rivals, they have a bunch of cronies and supportive seniors who condone the ambition and power that they seek. As the story inches up to 26/11, and battle on the streets turns more bitter, the inter-department enmity gets even more pitched.
If Pandit is blase about extortion and playing cards with criminals and equally at home cheating on wife Supriya (Neha Dhupia, surprisingly convincing as a modern day Sati Savitri); Inamdar is the silent, conniving, unscrupulous cop who is not above politics to sideline Pandit.
Sood is subtly brilliant as Pandit — with few gestures and fewer dialogues. As an aside to his cop image, is the heart-warming relationship he shares with his daughter. It unobtrusively moves to the forefront even when he is embroiled in his own problems with lawyers and fellow cops while waiting for her to finish squash practice. Kaushik flawlessly blends these two facets of Pandit to paint a complete portrait.
So far as Shah is concerned Maximum is definitely not his best. As Inamdar, he displays raw ruthlessness but stops short of making it an outstanding performance. There are moments when Inamdar fills you with revulsion and you remind yourself it is but a performance but for most part, you are left asking for more. In contrast is Pandit, who despite his vile ways, comes up a victim who unwittingly draws you to his helplessness.
Sood undoubtedly is one of the most under-rated actors in Bollywood today.
Vinay Pathak as Pandit's mentor and Amit Sadh as the quiet journalist both do justice to the roles they have been assigned. Sadh as an observer, goes with the narrative's flow, playing friend to Pandit, recording proceedings clinically for his TV channel and rarely offering opinions (unless asked for) and appears to be Kaushik's alter ego.
As the story and screenplay writer, Kaushik loves a non-linear narrative and it is left for the viewer to keep up with the pace. There is only one tiny glitch. Kaushik needs to surrender himself to his innate craft to hit the high point in his career. The only thing standing between him and his success today is his own self.
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Sonu Sood, Neha Dhupia, Amit Sadh, Vinay Pathak
Director: Kabeer Kaushik
Rating: Above Average
If you ever get the opportunity to meet Kabeer Kaushik, the director of Naseeruddin Shah-Sonu Sood starrer Maximum, observe how he spaces each word distinctively and deliberately - weighing and watching each one of them.
Alternately, until Kaushik hits the high spot with that one elusive 'big hit' (he found critical acclaim and average box-office success with Sehar while Chamku sank without a trace) check out Maximum. His protagonists have taken the idea of minimum dialogue and measured speech for maximum impact straight from Kaushik, and it works.
This no-holds barred cop flick is an unapologetic ideation on corruption, politics, ambition and greed for one-upmanship. Set in Bombay of 2003, post the blasts and riots, Maximum revolves around two encounter specialists (Shah as Arun Inamdar and Sood as Pratap Pandit) who are assigned to do a clean-up job of the underworld's gangsters.
As bitter rivals, they have a bunch of cronies and supportive seniors who condone the ambition and power that they seek. As the story inches up to 26/11, and battle on the streets turns more bitter, the inter-department enmity gets even more pitched.
If Pandit is blase about extortion and playing cards with criminals and equally at home cheating on wife Supriya (Neha Dhupia, surprisingly convincing as a modern day Sati Savitri); Inamdar is the silent, conniving, unscrupulous cop who is not above politics to sideline Pandit.
Sood is subtly brilliant as Pandit — with few gestures and fewer dialogues. As an aside to his cop image, is the heart-warming relationship he shares with his daughter. It unobtrusively moves to the forefront even when he is embroiled in his own problems with lawyers and fellow cops while waiting for her to finish squash practice. Kaushik flawlessly blends these two facets of Pandit to paint a complete portrait.
So far as Shah is concerned Maximum is definitely not his best. As Inamdar, he displays raw ruthlessness but stops short of making it an outstanding performance. There are moments when Inamdar fills you with revulsion and you remind yourself it is but a performance but for most part, you are left asking for more. In contrast is Pandit, who despite his vile ways, comes up a victim who unwittingly draws you to his helplessness.
Sood undoubtedly is one of the most under-rated actors in Bollywood today.
Vinay Pathak as Pandit's mentor and Amit Sadh as the quiet journalist both do justice to the roles they have been assigned. Sadh as an observer, goes with the narrative's flow, playing friend to Pandit, recording proceedings clinically for his TV channel and rarely offering opinions (unless asked for) and appears to be Kaushik's alter ego.
As the story and screenplay writer, Kaushik loves a non-linear narrative and it is left for the viewer to keep up with the pace. There is only one tiny glitch. Kaushik needs to surrender himself to his innate craft to hit the high point in his career. The only thing standing between him and his success today is his own self.