Acclaimed Indian director Mani Ratnam brings us “Guru,” an inspiring rags-to-riches story about a young man from a small village with big dreams.
Although the film begins with a disclaimer about not being based on real characters, it is widely believed to be inspired from the real-life story of industrialist Dhirubai Ambani, a wealthy Indian textile tycoon and founder of Reliance Industries.
Born to a local headmaster in a small village in Gujarat, India, our hero Guru — short for Gurukant Desai, played by Abhishek Bachchan — decides to go to Turkey to pursue career opportunities. After a few years, he returns to his native land determined to start his own business and build the largest polyester textile company in the country.
Back home, however, he soon realizes that the business world is a closed community favoring only the rich and influential. Despite such obstacles, through his guile and “never say die” spirit, he establishes Shakti Corporation and manages to climb the ladder at a furious pace.
Guru’s convictions lie in the absolute self-belief that nothing is impossible and all hurdles can be conquered, in effect making him a quintessential capitalist. He lives by the principle that “if people are talking negative things about you, you must be doing something right.”
As success sails in, so do the critics — especially his former mentor, the newspaper publisher Nanaji (Mithun Chakraborty), who accuses him of corruption and tax evasions. The battle between the two leads to factory shutdowns and government enquiries, and the film climaxes with Guru’s rousing speech defending his actions before a government board.
The strongest suit of the movie is its performances and its sense of realism. Given the current economic success being enjoyed by the Subcontinent, this a topical film for a global audience.
The film is anchored by Abhishek Bachchan’s superb acting. Abhishek ably uses his lanky charm to come across as an ambitious businessman with a good heart whose politics are on the side of the common man. Given the dream role of a lifetime, he does not disappoint, and delivers the best performance of his young career.
The striking Aishwarya Rai plays Guru’s wife Sujatha. Also known as India’s “Brangelina,” Abhishek and Aishwarya are a pair with unmistakable chemistry which sizzles on the screen. Ash looks stunning and plays the pragmatic wife with wonderful reserve. Also, Mithun Chakraborthy is excellent in his comeback role, delivering one of his best performances since “Agneepath.” The actor takes precedence over the star in this case, and it took a great director to achieve that.
Rajiv Menon’s cinematography is delicious, and A.R. Rehman’s music is melodious, although some songs felt forced into the story (the “ek lo ek muft” song soon after the birth of twins seems unnecessary). Of the vast supporting cast, Roshan Seth makes a strong presence even with a 10-minute role, while the character of Vidya Balan (Meenu) is not well defined and seems irrelevant.
“Guru” is a refreshing departure from the usual romance or action masala films churned out by Bollywood, and Mani Ratnam does a competent job in narrating a fresh subject and storyline.
Stars: Three and a half
Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Language: Hindi with English subtitles
This movie is not rated
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