Sanju - my first ever first day, first show review

“Ek subah apun uttha. Apun ne dekha ki apun ka baap thaich nahi. Bohot kuchh tha apne andar usko bolne ka tha. Lekin saala sab andar hi reh gaya.”

It’s a line that went deep inside me the very first time I watched Lage Raho Munnabhai in November 2006. And something in Sanjay Dutt’s eyes when he said those lines in the movie told me that maybe he isn’t just acting but speaking his heart out through those lines.

This movie Sanju is about a number of things in life: friendship, faith, will power, media trial, human frailities, misunderstandings, reconciliation, redemption and greatness that comes from grace, civility, manners, honesty, courage and responsibility. You will find the last of all the adjectives personified in the late Shri Sunil Dutt as beautifully portrayed on screen by Shri Paresh Rawal.

While the hooting, clapping and whistles started within the first 5 minutes of the movie and the last song is the surprise factor here where again, we all threw our hands up in the air in gay abandon and started hooting and swinging again…

And while some elements in the society especially the media might raise hackles at being questioned for its unaccountable role; for me, more than the other aspects of life that this movie touches upon, what it touches and triggers the most for me and in me is the parent child relationship and especially the father son relationship; about any true father’s undying love and unconditional love for his child through all the trials and frustrations a child might take him through.

A question a number of us men have in our hearts is what was iconically asked by Amitabh Bachhan towards the end of the movie Shakti when he asked his father: “Toh phir Dad, aapne kabhi bataya kyun nahi.”

What each one of us men aspire for more than anything else is that acknowledgement and appreciation from our fathers that we have turned out fine and that our fathers are proud of us – for our integrity and courage.

Many of us also long for that one tight, long, sweet, crushing and yet gentle and loving hug from our fathers and that running of fingers through our hairs even after we have grown up.

Fathers, please know that there are moments where for all our outward bravado, we are still unsure and scared; we are still fumbling at times.

Some of us long for nothing more than being allowed to take care of them and press their feet as they grow old.

Some of us simply prefer that our fathers allow us to grow up by treating us as grownups and not treat us like that 6 month old child that still needs them for everything in life.

And some of us need a mix of all these.

I read somewhere that a mother introduces you to the world but a father introduces the world to you. And often our fathers act distant and tough with the idea and hope that it will prepare us for the big, bad, tough world out there.

While there is no denying all that about the world, the fathers would be better off if they know for once that there is still a small child lurking inside all of us who still needs all that I have written above – being loved expressively and affectionately not just silently in their hearts.

It’s also for parents to know that no matter what many of us go through or do in life, many of us still have a love for them irrespective of the countless horror stories of children abusing their parents in old age.

Many of us still care for them and worry for them as they grow old and our fathers would do a great job for our health only if they allows us to care for them.

Coming to the movie, while the movie is undoubtedly great, I have to but say that I won’t get to see the genius of Raju Hirani Sir beyond a point here. The story is of a living person and while the sub stories are great, inspiring, unbelievably moving and more, there is only so much that we would get to see Raju Sir’s creative writing genius unlike what we got to see in all his previous movies before this with Abhijat Joshi as his co-writer and Vidhu Vinod Chopra as the production partner.

I guess given the high bar of standard that I got to experience due to his previous movies, I will have to wait for his next movie to get to that high again.

That doesn’t in any way take away, the surprise elements you continue to find in this movie.

The movie is a smash hit classic.

Raju Sir’s simple approach is summarised by the laugh, cry, drama method of his writing, directing and editing.

I have often said in my presentation skills training programmes that the hallmark of a truly great and effective presenter is his/ her ability to make you laugh, go speechless and cry, preferably in the same presentation.

The examples I used to quote on this point were Father Gregory Boyle known as the Gandhi of the gangs in Los Angeles and of course Raju Hirani Sir.

I have also said that great presenters and story tellers also have the ability to continuously surprise their audience and keep their audience curious till the end.

And you will find all that here as well – you will laugh, cry, weep, swing, clap, hoot, whistle and dance.

If I had spare coins in my pocket I would have also thrown them on the screen as was the norm in the olden days of movie going.

It need not be said again but Ranbir has blown the top away in his portrayal of Sanjay Dutt. Kudos to the entire team that worked on this including the hair and prosthetics artists.

A great movie for sure.

Coming back, do watch the movie to find if Sanju found his answer to the same question that Amitabh asked Dilip saab in the end of Shakti and also for the letter that Sanjay Dutt wrote to his father but couldn’t read out while Shri Sunil Dutt was still alive.

If there is anything a truly loving child can ever write to his father to acknowledge his father’s contribution in his life and thank him for all that and more, we find words and articulation in that note.

Just like I found mine.

_/\_

Sohum.

The movie is worth a number of repeat watches.

I have always been crazy about films and wanted to first learn cinematography, then editing and then finally writing and direction. And for me, Raju Hirani Sir is THE benchmark and iconic role model for that.

And I am glad that I could finally complete my long standing wish of watching the first day first show of an iconic movie in an iconic movie theatre – the Raj Mandir cinema theatre in Jaipur.

Thank you Raju Sir, Abhijat Joshiji and Vidhuji for making this movie.

Loved it to the core.

Next time I am going to carry a whistle with me given that I cannot whistle with my fingers in my mouth.

5*** rating.

(Originally written on 29th June 2018 at 5 pm in Jaipur)

Post script:

A part of me after watching the movie on 29th June felt that some people are not going to happy about this film. And exactly as I felt, there are people out there who have trolled the film.

But for me it doesn't matter what their subjective beliefs make them say. I can totally understand that's what their map of the world is making them see.

If the mosaic of emotions I witnessed inside the movie theatre on 29th is anything to go by and if what the first 55 people have reacted to my review on Facebook is anything to go by, then there are lots of people out there who have totally resonated with the film and that's all that matters.

Even though the film hasn't yet completed its first week of release and while its final destiny is yet to be seen but the records it broke within the first 4 days of its release speaks a lot.