Bollywood Review: Nawazuddin elevates performance as 'Manjhi'

Bio-pics are notoriously difficult to helm, especially one unspooling a tale that is so unthinkable that few would ever believe and even fewer would set out to achieve.

Dashrath Manjhi’s story would be one of hundreds that would’ve spent its life covered in dust in the archives of some defunct news organisation in India, had it not been for filmmakers such as Ketan Mehta, who tasked himself with the gargantuan responsibility of narrating the story of a man who moved a mountain with just a hammer and a chisel, in memory of the woman he loved.

Starting its journey in the 1960s, 'Manjhi – The Mountain Man' is the inspiring story of this unsung hero from a small village in Bihar, facing everyday issues that plague rural India even today.

Married off as a child and sold to the local loan-shark landowner, Manjhi runs away from home, only to return years later as a grown to claim his accolades and his bride.

Along the way, viewers learn the village of Gehlaur is nestled behind a rocky mountainous terrain that  cuts it off from modern amenities and nearby medical care.

The now family man Manjhi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is living a content life with his Phaguniya (Radhika Apte), when a freak accident robs him off the woman he loves due to his inability to get her medical attention on time.

A grief-stricken Manjhi then sets out to make it his life’s mission break down this mountain one rock at a time, taking him 22 years to wade through a quagmire of pain, hardship and corruption.

Arguably no actor today could have essayed Manjhi’s role as well as Siddiqui; he becomes Manjhi.

Addressing media ahead of the screening, the actor stated he drew on his own 15-year struggle to get a foothold in a film industry that is notorious for its nepotism.

Comparing his passion for his craft to that of the villager’s gumption to break down that mountain, Siddiqui deftly gets into the skin of the character, making us laugh with joy and weep with sorrow through the two decades of Manjhi’s struggle.

Of special delight are those simple moments with his Phaguniya, which are brought to life on-screen with simple poise as Apte matches Siddiqui’s acting prowess with a natural grace; it is a shame their screen time together is so limited.

Further endearing are those moments in the film when Nawazuddin’s Manjhi has conversations with 'his mountain'. Shunned and ridiculed for attempting this unimaginable task, Manjhi finds solace and a grudging kinsman ship with the one thing he is setting out to destroy.

Credit should also be given to director Mehta, who weaves an impressive tale with gentle fervor; how one wishes he was could have been equally enthusiastic at the editing table rather than bogging himself down with the Bollywood trappings.

With a content so vast, it is easy to get bogged down by the trivialities and 'Manjhi – The Mountain Man' has its moments when the proceedings drag out to include sub-plots that may have been a good idea at the story table but didn’t materalise with all its crispness on the big screen.

But such flaws can be overlooked when a story so powerful is elevated further with performances so fine.

'Manjhi — The Mountain Man' is currently available with etisalat’s eLife On Demand service.

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