'Mulk' is a politically correct movie -that caters to, as my right leaning friends would say 'The liberal elites.' Set in soul of Hindu India -Benaras - its ticks all the right boxes : Muslim family well integrated in a Hindu majority neighbourhood, hindu daughter-in-law well loved in Muslim household, encounter cop who is a muslim. Using this background, it tries to take on head on the common themes against muslims, one hears in drawing rooms , whatsapp chats and in 'morchas' across the country : that 'they' all owe allegience to pakistan, that every muslim with a beard is an extremist, that 'they' are not well educated and have too many children, because, ofcourse, 'they' are allowed too many wives.
Noble though its intent may be, a subtle polarising topic is dealt with the subtlety and finesse of a sledgehammer. With over half the film a pure court room drama with long drawn monologues, the screenplay is rather lazy. And by trying to make too many point, the premise it is trying to prove : that just because of a few fringe elements, all muslims cannot be banded as terrorists is somewhat lost.
In fact by showing ONLY the protagonist (Rishi Kapoor) and his family as good inclusive muslims (every other muslim except the muslim cop is shown to sympathize with the terrorist cause ), it in some ways, does the opposite of what it sets out to do. What is shown really well though is how quickly decades long relationships fray when religion comes in the way, and how often, families of terrorists are the biggest victims.
Overall a 2.5. This was a great topic to make a movie on and it has some very fine actors donning the key roles. However, a lazy screenplay killed a potentially great movie. This is still a one time watch for the politically minded as it attempts to deal with one of the major issues that polarises people today.
Noble though its intent may be, a subtle polarising topic is dealt with the subtlety and finesse of a sledgehammer. With over half the film a pure court room drama with long drawn monologues, the screenplay is rather lazy. And by trying to make too many point, the premise it is trying to prove : that just because of a few fringe elements, all muslims cannot be banded as terrorists is somewhat lost.
In fact by showing ONLY the protagonist (Rishi Kapoor) and his family as good inclusive muslims (every other muslim except the muslim cop is shown to sympathize with the terrorist cause ), it in some ways, does the opposite of what it sets out to do. What is shown really well though is how quickly decades long relationships fray when religion comes in the way, and how often, families of terrorists are the biggest victims.
Overall a 2.5. This was a great topic to make a movie on and it has some very fine actors donning the key roles. However, a lazy screenplay killed a potentially great movie. This is still a one time watch for the politically minded as it attempts to deal with one of the major issues that polarises people today.
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