Bardaasht: Not bad!

Sukanya Verma | April 23, 2004 19:02 IST


I expected three hours of punches, kicks, grunts, growls, scowls, swearing, emotional blackmail, death threats.

Bardaasht is a Bobby Deol film, after all.

But know what? It wasn't so bad. So what if it reminds you of Ghayal at times or lifts the punch from The Negotiator for its climax?

I do mind it when they use the background scores of Gladiator, The Lord Of the Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, and The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers. They are ill-used and totally out of place.

But director E Niwas, who impressed earlier with Shool and Love Ke Liye Kucch Bhi Karega, shows considerable improvement from his last film Dum.

Fighting injustice was the core issue in both Shool and Dum. Bardaasht treads the same path.

Aditya Shrivastav (Bobby Deol) is a well-to-do travel agent who brings up his younger brother Anuj (Riteish Deshmukh) after their parents' demise. A slickly shot flashback (by Rakesh Manikantan) reveals that he was once an armyman, but was court-martialled for insubordination. Deserted by his girlfriend Payal (Lara Dutta), Aditya starts afresh in a new city.

Anuj, meanwhile, is idling around in nightclubs, drinking, dancing, and making merry with a bunch of equally no-good friends. Other things you should know about Anuj: he is asthmatic, a brilliant student, and has a girlfriend Ramona (Tara Sharma).

One day, he is caught stealing examination papers from the principal's room. The normally subdued Aditya gives Anuj the spanking of his life. Anuj leaves the house, the picture frame, and the world, in that order.

After looking all over for Anuj, Aditya finds him in a morgue. He is labelled a drug peddler. Police reports say Anuj was shot while trying to escape from three cops — Yeshwant Thakur (Rahul Dev), Sunil Yadav (Ganesh Yadav), and Deepak Sawant (Vishwajeet Pradhan).

The truth, of course, is something else. So Aditya decides to get to the bottom of it and nail the real criminals. Ex-girlfriend Payal re-enters his life. By now, she is a lawyer — just what Aditya and the script ordered.

Bardaasht isn't an extraordinary script, but it holds you till the intermission. Niwas builds a tense atmosphere by avoiding unnecessary songs (only three tracks in the film), comic relief, or pompous dialogues.

The action sequences are few but good (by Abbas Ali Mogul). The flashback has an imaginatively shot sequence in a muddy stream against a rainy, wild backdrop. The climax, though 'inspired', is thrilling.

Bardaasht is pretty strong on the performance front. Bobby Deol does a good job. Look out for him in the scene where he sees his kid brother's dead body. His body language is frail, broken and numb.

Niwas extracts a meaty performance from Lara Dutta as well. She is no-nonsense and carries herself with confidence during the courtroom scenes. Riteish Deshmukh doesn't have much to do except dance in a song and die in a chase. His co-star Tara Sharma looks convincing as the emotionally disturbed eyewitness.

Bardaasht would have been stronger if the script had offered a solid motive for Anuj's killing. There is also a strange lack of rapport between the two brothers. So when Aditya challenges the entire police force, the passion strikes you as very forced.

Verdict: It's not great, but it's not bad either.

CREDITS
Cast: Bobby Deol, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh, Tara Sharma, Rahul Dev
Director: E Niwas
Producer: Pooja Galani
Music: Himmesh Reshammiya
Lyrics: Sameer

The only obstacle, in Bardaasht success, is "Main Hoon Na" why release any other film?? LOL.

As found by Shaadi Ke Laddoo who advanced their release as no theatres were available to them, because of MHN, when they intended to release the film.

Rana

'Bardaasht' - Not a Must-See!
By Prema K. ©2004 Bollyvista.com


Credits
Producer/s: Pooja Galani
Director: E. Niwas
Cast: Bobby Deol, Lara Dutta, Rahul Dev, Tara Sharma, Ritesh Deshmukh (Special appreance)
Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics: Sameer



'Bardaasht' is the kind of film Sunny Deol would have done a few years ago. Written by Vikram Bhatt (obviously influenced by Raj Santoshi's 'Ghayal'), it is a typical revenge drama that formed part of popular mainstream cinema a few years back.

Aditya Shrivastav (Bobby Deol), an ex-army officer was in love with his senior officer's daughter, Payal (Lara Dutta). A brave and promising soldier, he was asked to leave the force for not obeying his senior's orders. This is also goodbye to Payal.

He starts a travel agency and looks after his younger college-going brother Anuj (Ritesh Deshmukh), a daredevil. The brothers have a heated argument one day and Anuj leaves home in a fit of anger.

Soon Aditya discovers that Anuj has been shot in a police encounter for possession of drugs. A broken Aditya cannot accept this and decides to uncover the truth behind his brother's death. The story takes a new turn now.

The first half is fairly gripping. A kindly constable (Virendra Saxena) and Anuj's terrified, mentally disturbed girlfriend (Tara Sharma) reveal that the three cops, ACP Yashwant Thakur (Rahul Dev) and his two evil colleagues had savagely murdered Anuj for no reason at all.

Now Aditya sets out to take revenge with the help of former girlfriend (Lara Dutta) who is now a lawyer (old emotions are also slowly rekindled).

The revenge route is very predictable, a farcical court case, killing of witnesses, losing the case and then Aditya 'taking the law' into his own hands.

The film had enough dramatic and arresting moments, which are lost due to the slack pace and hackneyed treatment.

Aditya uncovers the series of incidents that lead to his brother's death.

Bobby Deol is strictly okay. Lara looks good. Some good performances come from Ritesh Deshmukh and Virendra Saxena. Himesh Reshammiya has come up with one hit number 'Janabe Aali'. 'Bardaasht' is not as unendurable as one might expect, especially after Bobby's recent debacle, 'Kismet', but not a must-see either.

**** (TWO STARS)

*poor; **average; ***good; ****very good; *****excellent

What I saw, Boby Deaol, is being praised universally, for his good performance in Bardast!

So many glowing reviews and still already declared a Flop. Main Hoon Naa Syndrome.

Some excerpts from Taran Adarsh Review:

http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/review ... id=2425&t=

Bardaasht: A well-made entertainer

BARDAASHT drives home the point that Bobby Deol is not merely a star, but an actor as well.

BARDAASHT drives home the point that Bobby Deol is not merely a star, but an actor as well.

A number of similar-sounding flicks have been witnessed in the past [the innocent versus the corrupt], but what makes BARDAASHT rise to a watchable level is E. Niwas' deft execution of the subject.

Himesh Reshammiya's music is melodious, in keeping with the mood of the film. The film has three songs in all and at least two stand out - 'Janaabe Aali' and 'Silsile'. The background music [Amar Mohile] is adequate.

Cinematography [Rakesh Manikantan] is first-rate. Dialogues [Girish Dhamija] are punch-packed. In fact, the lines delivered by Bobby Deol and Virendra Saxena stands out in the enterprise.

BARDAASHT is a triumph for Bobby Deol, who takes full advantage of the role offered to him and gives his best shot.

In fact, it won't be wrong to state that this is amongst Bobby's best performance to date!

Lara Dutta looks lovely and delivers an equally fine performance.

On the whole, BARDAASHT is a well-made entertainer, but it requires more hype and a strong word of mouth to register an impact at the box-office.

Rating:- * * ½.

DECLARED FLOP ALREADY!

Caught the last show of Bardaasht in Toronto, before all Indian Film venues are hogged by MHN.

I liked it. This mediunm budget film doesn't deserve to fail. You don't feel the actors acting. It's natural. It's serious cinema and serious acting with a few colorful dance-song sequences. It's not like KISMAT that was all masala.

There is court drama after a long time and is not dragged too long.

There is a hint, no further than just a hint, of Army boss coming to the rescue of local police (like Rambo First Blood). There is no Rambo like unbelievable combating skills and action. I guess, believable action.

This is a well made interesting film and may do a surprise like MBBS on MHN.

Rana

BTW, In KISMAT, Bobby shoots a middleman if he didn't get a meeting with Kabir Bedi. I liked his cool dialog delivery. He is in Bardaasht too, in the role of Police Constable MEHMOOD. Very good actor. Any idea who that is??

u mean like MAJOR SAHAB!! that was UNBELIEVABLE! imho.

BTW! BARDASHT already CAME OUT on DVD YESTERDAY by VENUS..picked up Yesterday to WATCH!

I saw this fillm yesterday, and actually quite enjoyed it.............nothing earth shattering, but a lot better than a lot of the crap I've seen recently.

To answer your question Rana, the actor who played Mehmood bhai in Bardaasht was, I believe, Virendra Saxena.

Thanks Bhaskar.

Plannet Bollywood, gives first indication of Bardaasht doing better than the disaster that was being predicted.

http://www.planetbollywood.com/BoxOffic ... 144200.php

Verdict - ´Bardaasht´ opened to a dull response with the opening ranging from 55- 70 % across India, being better in the North. The movie may become an average earner in North and some other ´action belts´ but even for that the battle will be tough.
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I'm sure it'll win the battle to become at least an average earner as the movie actually is quite good. Quite an accomplishment when, not in competition with, but just, in presence of Main Hoon Naa. Nobody expected that.

Rana

I watched the movie last night and thought it was decent. bobby deol was good. he gives a reserved and mature performance. But still, the movie could've been better though, imo.

I was NOT impressed with BARDASHT!

IMHO, film, lacks, punch, intensity, extra force, for it to EFFECT the viewer at the right spot.

it has feww momments..sound design is good as well DD on dvd.

BOBY deol's quest to GET JUSTICE out of system, lacks kinda effectiveness, looks mundane imho.

Lara is OK!! she is CLAD!!

only 3 songs in film..music, nothing to take home.

Boby's being DISGRACED ARMY man..is just OUT OF THE POINT!

ACTION sequences during Army raid are well shot.

MASALA /POT BOILER..hmm!! there was no MASALA, no INTENSITY!!

NO DOUBT, it FLOPPED! badly!

BOTTOM LINE: it did not impressed me at all, I still think, Boby Deol's BICHU/BADAL were better Masala! even KISMAT was BETTER Masala!

Obviously, it's not a Masala film but a serious film.

I liked KISMAT as a Masala film and Bardaasht as a serious film.
KISMAT and MHN, both are Masala films. I can't say which one I liked more; MHN or Kismat??

Rana