3 very different movies to look forward to this week and I started with CHAMBAL – a movie that speaks about the tribulations of an honest IAS officer. The resemblance of the story to that of the incidents related to the deceased DK Ravi did not take require too much imagination, once the trailer was out. So, what was left was to see how it was translated on the screen in an effort to reach the masses – amongst whom the officer made the most impact during his curtailed career.

With the subject at hand having the complete probability & potential to be manipulated into a rousing formulaic-commercial “entertainer”, a runtime of about 1 hour & 40 odd minutes, is a good indication about the treatment this subject receives. It is also the first signs of relief to realize that the subject is in better hands (perhaps, safe hands, given the track record with PRITHVI standing out for letting Puneeth Rajkumar essaying his role terrifically). Right from the beginning and till the end – there is absolutely no deviation from the earnest attempt to simply stay true to the incidents showcased. Yes, the 2 songs each half of the movie do seem to slow down the proceedings slightly however, given the grimness the movie deals with and the lyrics trying to paint is a picture of what lives of such honest officers could be like; they don’t cause any damage in the overall context of movie.

There seems to be a very conscious effort to definitely not turn this into a cinematic experience by the makers and hence, every character is essayed with utmost reality. A particular scene where the mother of a “to be hanged” son is responded to with disdain by her son itself is quitely disturbing. Of course, for the audience, the director has made the character establish his mindset inside the courtroom, in just the previous scene. Nevertheless, the impact is chilling since we realize that right through the day, we all could well be surrounded by such professional criminals. But, wait for the irony though – he is concerned about his wife & kid after all! Such is the authentic world, director Jacob Verghese creates. It was also interesting to see director Pawan Kumar (of Lucia & U-Turn fame) in the time he essays too.

Finally, getting to the central character of IAS Subhash, played by Ninasam Satish – applaud worthy and as realistic as it can get. The bundle of talent that he is, backed by the theatre days of yore, makes their presence felt in every scene that he is in. That’s exactly how the character needed to be portrayed and that’s exactly what he delivers. Kudos for the writer-director-dialogue writer combo for keeping things the way they are and another major contributor would be the cameraman. In certain scenes, it is almost as if they were shot using “hidden cameras” (guerilla style, as they may be technically termed). That style of capturing the scenes lends loads of believability. Movies with conspiracy theories are very rare and for once, it would be really sad if what is suggested is what would have happened for real & the truth.

While the mother is unaware about how to answer a question posed by a young Subhash, at the very beginning of the movie; there is another tiny scene where the IAS officer, almost cynically quizzes another officer about the relevance, purpose and usefulness of the honest service they intend to deliver. The colleague says “we are all with you, sir!” and pausing for just another moment, Subhash is charged up to conduct the raid. Likewise, for all those filmmakers who try staying true to what is necessary for the content & treatment of the stories that try presenting on-screen, the confidence inspired by the appreciative & admiring audience is all that is needed to delve into their next ventures. Here’s hoping that this gritty take on the concrete CHAMBAL receives the well deserved vote of confidence from the paying public!

#sandalwood #jacobverghese #sathishninasam #sonugowda #rogernarayan #kishorekumar #balkaninews #