Haider Movie Review : The most relevant and politically charged film of our times

Rating: 4 stars

Vishal Bhardwaj is back with Haider – and in what magnificent style. His films are usually not ‘massy’, veering more towards the three ‘E’s – experimental, eccentric and edgy. In Haider, he achieves a fourth ‘E’ – entertainment.

I was prone to several ‘curious’ interrogation sessions by colleagues and industry friends who wanted to know if Haider – yet again based on a Shakespearean tragedy, this time Hamlet – is worth the hype. Does it hold its own? Having endorsed Bhardwaj’s Omkara, Maqbool, Kaminey and 7 Khoon Maaf earlier, I’d say Haider blew me away. For two hour and forty minutes, I was transfixed and transported to the conflict-ravaged world of Kashmir.

At its core, Haider is a saga of disappearance, drama, intrigue, uncertainty and unrest.

There couldn’t have been a more ironic time to release Haider though many would disagree considering the film clashes with the Hrithik Roshan-Katrina Kaif starrer Bang Bang. Haider comes at a time when Kashmir is back in news for the heavy floods that brought life in the Valley to a standstill. The rescue efforts are currently being undertaken across Jammu and Kashmir. The film ends with an important message of the dilapidated condition of the state. The makers urge more and more people to come forward and help those affected by floods. The film is also dedicated to the people of Kashmir. Indeed, a moving effort on the part of the makers.

Haider is a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Title character Haider (Shahid Kapoor), a poetry student, returns to his hometown Kashmir on receiving news of his father, Dr Hilaal Meer’s (Narendra Jha) disappearance. Not only does Haider learn that security forces have detained his father for harbouring militants but also that his mother Ghazala (Tabu) is in an illicit relationship with his uncle Khurram (Kay Kay Menon), a stand-in for the play’s Claudius. Intense drama follows between Ghazala and Haider as both struggle to come to terms with the news of Dr Hilaal’s death. Soon, Haider learns that the evil Khurram is responsible for the gruesome murder and what follows is his journey to avenge his father’s death.

Though the narrative is based on Hamlet, there’s a special way with which Vishal Bhardwaj deals with his characters. His stories are, more often than not, propelled by a unique cast of characters and their motivations. Haider, like his other Shakespeare adaptations, is passionate but naive. The characters are tremendously layered, thanks to Bhardwaj and journalist Basharat Peer’s deft writing.

Bhardwaj scores in creating scenes that are in sync with the characters. He succeeds in pumping realism, a territory that Bollywood usually doesn’t like treading on.

Some scenes are so powerful that they challenge the actors no end. This is, by far, Shahid Kapoor’s best act so far on the big screen. He packs a punch. In his more than a decade-long career, only two filmmakers have managed to get the best out of Shahid, the Actor – Imtiaz Ali in Jab We Met and Vishal Bhardwaj in Kaminey and now, Haider. Victimised, angry and helpless – Shahid displays an array of emotions beautifully. Post-Kaminey, he’s redefined by Bhardwaj’s direction. Dad Pankaj Kapur rightly pointed out at the book launch of this film, “People will wake up to Shahid’s abilities as an actor after Haider.”

Tabu is back with a role that probably only she could have pulled off. Her Gertrude, or Ghazala, is superlatively effective. Kay Kay Menon as the deceitful Khurram excels. Bhardwaj’s favourite, Irrfan Khan as Roohdaar puts in an interesting cameo. Equally impressive is Narendra Jha as Dr Hilaal.

In Haider it’s not just the actors who are in top form. Every department is. Music, sound, photography – especially, music. Bhardwaj scores beautifully and the sound design and background score add to the story. The camera angles bring out the beauty of Kashmir. Vishal Bhardwaj has a keen understanding of the finer nuances of filmmaking.

Haider is a relevant, political film and gripping enough to merit a viewing. It tugs at your heart and wakes you up from the slumber. It’s another remainder that Vishal Bhardwaj is an exceptional talent and it would have been a tragedy – no less of the Shakespearean kind – if he had remained just a music director.

Take a bow, VB!

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