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The film in the final analysis is ‘not’ about farmers’ suicides but about the madhouse that the Indian media is, as well as the corrupt, nepotic, abrasive peoples’ representative. Bureaucrats can only utter the steep costs for the relief scheme launched in the name of ‘Natha Card’. The Union Minister’s response, “Float the scheme, implementing is their job,” makes you sit up and wonder, “Hey, is this all the thought that goes into all the Yojanas our leaders announce?”

Shed those blinkers of “India is becoming a Superpower” in a few decades from now. This is not just the “Other India”, it is back of beyond, the India in the dumps. The dump is growing, not shrinking, mind you. The film is a satire on maladministration, the newsroom politics of the channels and the governance going skewed in the core of the country. 

The film scores high on texture and editing. A difficult job for a film that handles varied aspects like political life, media business and the farmers’ suicides.

No preaching, no vitriol. But it’s the country shown as the Emperor was in that Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. Everything is spread out for you with a surgical precision and neatness difficult to achieve with such emotive topics.

A word about the cast. Except for Raghubir Yadav as Budhiya and Naseeruddin Shah as the Minister, the major characters were etched by members from Habib Tanvir’s Naya Theatre. Omkar Das Manikpuri from the theatre has done an exemplary job as Natha.  Farukh Jaffar, yet another person from troupe, in a cameo appearance as the cranky-cantankerous mother-in-law has essayed her role in a realistic manner.

The film is no laugh-riot, but will be well received north of the Vindhyas because it is a ringside view of how things are in those areas. To the South of the country, the dialect may soar above the audience heads. However, it is said that the production house has recouped its cost of Rs 10 crores. That speaks two things – good films don’t need hefty budgets, nor a cast with ‘star value’. What is needed is new ways of saying things and knowing how to say it well. Crisp, neat and compact that is what Peepli (Live) is.

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 I couldn't agree with you more. Peepli (Live) made me think about my location in India/Bharat. Fortunately I am on the right side of the divide (or am I?), but at this rate, will either side survive?

Santanu Sinha Chaudhuri | August 25, 2010