In Maharaj, a journalist decides to take on a powerful religious figure to put an end to his exploitative practices. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
After moving to Bombay at the age of 10, Karsan Das Mulji grows up to become a social activist with progressive ideals.
He writes for Rast Goftar, the newspaper of Dadabhai Naoroji, whose ideas of social reform and progress inspire him.
One day, he learns about a practice called charan seva, exploited by a religious leader named Yadunath Maharaj, also known as JJ, to manipulate women in the name of faith.
JJ heads the most significant of the seven Vaishnav havelis in Bombay and has a large following. His followers unquestioningly obey his orders.
When Karsan’s fiancée, Kishori, is chosen for charan seva, Karsan objects, marking the beginning of his fight against JJ.
Will Karsan succeed in exposing JJ’s misdeeds, or will JJ’s power prevail, allowing him to exploit people’s religious beliefs?
Performances
The role of Karsan Das demands conviction and sincerity above all else. It suits Junaid Khan, as the actor plays the character with utmost sincerity.
Jaideep Ahlawat leaves no room for complaints, convincingly portraying an arrogant and commanding religious figure who considers himself invincible.
Shalini Pandey and Sharvari Wagh also perform their parts well, embodying the stereotypes of a naive girl and a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, respectively.
Positives
The film is set in 1800s Bombay, a setting that might not be very familiar to the audience, so the film provides just the right amount of information about it.
It naturally gives enough context about cultural practices, societal structure, and the wave of reformism, which makes it easy for the audience to grasp the significance of the characters’ actions.
Despite being a historical drama, the film remains relevant to contemporary times, as it unabashedly depicts the exploitation of people’s religious sentiments for power.
Negatives
There are too many dialogues and theatrical challenges issued among the characters, which divert attention from the action and diminish its significance.
Apart from the over-the-top confrontations between the protagonist and antagonist, discussions among the good characters about the antagonist feel overly sentimental.
The obstacles created by the antagonist also lack the necessary weight, considering the almost fairy-tale nature of the ending.
It is hard to believe that one courtroom speech by the protagonist could inspire people to testify against a powerful man and turn his blind followers against him.
The film attempts to portray the protagonist as anti-casteist but falls short. In his most important speech, he claims to embody the attributes of all four castes.
By doing that, he inadvertently reinforces belief in the caste system by acknowledging and emphasizing the attributes associated with each caste.
Verdict
Despite being based on a real-life story, Maharaj gives the impression of being a fictional tale due to its exaggerated dramatic elements. It would have been a more engaging and impactful film if it had avoided the theatrics.
Maharaj
Director: Siddharth P Malhotra
Date Created: 2024-06-14 21:41
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