Natrang

Had been to thakur fame to watch Natrang, the much praised Marathi movie. Next follows the movies story, so if you plan to watch it in a theatre you may want to skip the next paragraph:

Guna is a peasant in a small village. The first time Guna is shown all muscled perfection....a "khara marda" to use a Marathi term. He is extremely poor & his friends alongwith him are on the verge of losing their job, which was anyways wasnt paying them much. Guna has a dream....to make it big as an actor. He writes "Vaga" & sets up a small "Tamasha" with his buddies when on his Managers insistance he add 2 women [mother & daughter] to his group. Now this daughter says that their troupe needs a "Naachya". In tamasha, naachya is an eunuch who plays the part of a fool. Guna initially tries to find a Naachya from the village but in vain. However his passion for his chosen field is so great that he himself decides to play that part. So we see all 6 packs abs adorning themselves with pearls, the moustache is shaven off so that the lips can be painted red. The role of the Naachya alongwith the dancer is appreciated by one & all. However his playing the part of an eunuch has serious implications. He is ridiculed by one & all in the village. His wife is insulted & called names [they have a son...so an eunuch fathering a son thing is hard to digest by the villagers?!?!]When Guna's own friend tries to force himself upon her the lady is courageous enough to threaten him with a "koyta". All this while Guna is on a grand tour with his troupe where they are gaining fame & money. Guna & the lead dancer by this time have become quite close. However when he proposes marriage, she refuses him & says women must think about the future; and what future can she have with a person whom the society thinks is an enuch? Hurt he moves out where the "dholkiwala" makes a pass at him!! In the meanwhile he has manages to upset a local politician while favouring another. Tremendously hurt by all people thinking of him as an eunuch, he decides to portray the character of Brihanala. However before the act can complete Guna is abducted by the local politician whom he had offended & raped; where he offers no resistance. Ladies in their troupe are raped & the sets are set on fire. The news is published in the newspapers following which his wife returns to her father's home alongwith his son. When he return his friends abandon him alongwith his wife & son. As he is about to set off to realise his dream of being an actor once more he is met by the lead dancer. He finally does succeed.

The movie has received much praises from one & all. However I was left extremely disturbed by what I saw! Passion for ones career is understandable; but breaking all boundries for your dream career is just not justifiable. When Guna is abducted, when the goon orders his rape...I had thought this will be the moment when he will show his manliness!! When confronted by a similar situation his wife was bold enough to save herself, but a man falls prey! Even falling prey would be understandable saying that they were 4 against him alone; but how could he just surrender without a fight??? Playing an eunuch for versatility is great; but making it the only thing an actor does....thats something which sickens me! Sleeping with your dance partner when you have a wife waiting for you at home, begging your wife to take you back when your lover rejects you, falling all over your lover when your wife kicks you out of her life...what happened to being a man...& ofcourse the good old self respect?? Or did Guna forget how to be a man while playing an eunuch?? This movie disturbed me a great deal!!!

Atul Kulkarni as an actor rocks throughout the movie & proves his calibre once more. The actress too is quite beautiful. The music & songs are nice, but the movie & story failed to impress me.