Haider Movie Review

Haider Movie Poster

Haider

 

Release Date: 2nd October 2014

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, Kay Kay Menon

Directed by: Vishal Bhardwaj

Music: Vishal Bhardwaj

Duration: 2 hours 44 minutes

The nonpareil éclat and stature of Shakespeare can be best understood by only those who have had a chance to study literature. Understanding his works requires a good sense of written-art and the proficiency of reading between the lines. And today it gives me extreme pleasure to see that our film industry has at least one person who has such an intellectual understanding of literature. After Macbeth and Othello, it is time to watch Hamlet on the big screen as Vishal Bhardwaj brings to you his third adaptation, Haider!

Plot: A noble doctor trying to save the life of a militant gets imprisoned by the army and eventually dies. His son Haider, a student of poetry, returns home only to realize that his home has been razed and his mother has moved in with his uncle. There begins the story of a revenge that takes away many!

Performances: Shahid Kapoor delivers the best work of his career! There is less you can say about his brilliance as Haider that leaves a breath-taking impact on the viewer. Every single emotion of his character has been mastered by the astonishing capabilities of this actor. Haider is indeed Shahid’s masterpiece!

If there is someone who could have best played the different shades of a complex woman, it is only and only Tabu! She brings alive the haunting expressions of a mother who aches for her child. Tabu is an absolute stunner in the film!

Shraddha Kapoor, as Haider’s love interest, justifies her role to the best she can. She looks perfect for a Kashmiri girl and performs much better than her previous roles.

Irrfan Khan can only be seen in a few scenes unfortunately but as we know that a gem like him does not need much to prove his proficiency. A few minutes of his presence on screen are enough to captivate the audience in awe of his unbound talent.

After wasting himself in a film like Raja Natwarlal, Kay Kay Menon has finally moved to right place! Our film industry thrives on the brilliance of actors like him who understand cinema in its true sense!

Music: As a usual custom, the music of Haider has been composed by the director himself! Vishal Bhardwaj is not only a fabulous director but also an extremely talented music composer. The music of Haider is an unconventional composition penned down by none other than the master, Gulzar! The best from the lot: Bismil

What’s Good: Vishal Bhardwaj has left no stone unturned in dexterously transforming Hamlet in to Haider! Every bit of a detail has been taken care of by him. The actors seem to be tailor-made for each of their roles. The cinematography is brilliant and so are the poetic dialogues. A spellbinding performance by the entire cast leaves an emotional impact on the audience.

What’s Bad: There are only a few times when a movie is said to be flawless and this is definitely one of them. There is hardly any lapse in terms of work if you negate the long duration that the film runs for. But then a complex work like Hamlet does need a longer time to execute well!

Haider is one of the best adaptations of Shakespearean work tried outin bollywood so far. Cinematizing such great texts of the most renowned playwright is only possible when you have directors like Vishal Bharwaj in the industry! Haider completes his trilogy of Shakespeare after Maqbool and Omkara and needless to say that all of them are a masterpiece in itself. Haider runs on a slow pace since it is a complex tragedy and so it might not be liked by the usual audience. Only those who understand literature and cinema will be able to enjoy the film in the best possible way. However, the way the director detaches you from the usual picture of Kashmir by putting forward the brutal reality is something each and every one needs to watch! Haider should by no means be missed!

Verdict: Haider is a cinematic prodigy by Vishal Bhardwaj! Watch Haider to see Shahid at his best!

Rating: ****