Some movies make you cry and some make you laugh whereas there are some which rekindle your memories. Madras Cafe is one such movie.
This week we saw the release of Madras Café, directed by Shoojit Sircar, a brilliant movie in totality, which gave me some numbers and a heavy heart.
The numbers were of the people killed in the Sri Lankan civil war in so many years.
Be it the Army, the innocent civilians or the rebels – ultimately they were all the same. Just a lifeless body, red and black in colour, blown into many pieces and scattered all over the fields. A blood bath with no results.
The first part of the movie builds up the story and the plot well. The best part is that everyone knows the story as it is based on true events yet one sits through Madras Café as the suspense builds up. The story is gripping and cinematography is excellent.
The second part keeps you on the edge of your seat. Director Shoojit Sircar keeps the movie tight as the plot reveals the conspiracy.
John Abraham who plays Vikram Singh in Madras Café did lose a lot of muscle to get into the desired look of the character. He however fails to do anything different than his other films. He is about average as far as acting in Madras Café is concerned. On the other hand Nargis Fakri, who plays Jaya, who thankfully has all her dialogues in English, plays her role very effectively.
Prakash Belawadi
The cast is mindblowing, be it Ajay Rathnam (Anna), Avijit Dutta (Swaroop), R.D (Siddharth Basu), Prakash Belawadi (Bala), Piyush Pandey (an Indian Cabinet Minister), Dibang (as the source in Bangkok) or Raashi Khanna (Ruby Singh).
Siddharth Basu
Others who acted as LTF members, civilians, Army officers, Jawans, foreigners, Guruji and suicide bombers – all leave a strong impact and even in silence they are the loudest.
Background music by Shantanu Moitra is spine chilling. The song ‘Maula’ by Papon, with music by Shantanu Moitra and lyrics by Ali Haya, is serene.
The story is based on the real life events of the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The best part is that you know what is about to happen yet the film keeps you on the edge of the seat with your fingers crossed.
… and I prayed that somehow in Madras Café they’re able to save the Indian leader unlike in real life. One corner of my heart wished so badly to jump into the movie and tell him that he is about to be killed and save him. Alas!!!
As the assassination happens the nation cries and I remember how we cried with tears flowing down our cheeks. Many hours we were glued to the televisions and radios for any further news.
I wonder, whether the new generation coming up has any such emotions!!!
Gee Kaul 
A movie which left me numb, brainwashed in the first 45 minutes. A cult classic as i would call that. A must watch from the point of view of a RAW agent who puts everything on the line for his duty, even his family.
At par with Black friday and to some extent, A wednesday
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The first shock was Indira Gandhi’s death. Then I was in my 8th or so… that also I remember clearly… the piks shown in the papers … then we had no televisions… I remember all!
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Lovely review. I was too young then to be able to connect with the film as much as you did but loved it, notwithstanding!
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True Mansi … we did connect … Actually I wanted to get up and jump into the rally to tell him that the girl is coming … and save him somehow!!! I was just out of my 12th standard … The piks shown all over the newspapers and news were hidden from us as they were very bad… but somehow I did see and they are etched in my memory. I still clearly remember seeing the white shoe with half a leg … all body parts scattered all over… O God it was terrible.
Thanks for reading and sharing. I loved it too!
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