Governor Review: Manoj Bajpayee Governs His Splendid Presence In This Chinmay Mandlekar’s Political Film
· Free Press Journal
Director: Chinmay Mandlekar
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Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Adah Sharma, Madhoo Shah, Jaywant Wadkar, Devaang Bagga, Krisha Kurup, Noushad Mohamed Kunju, Paritosh Sand and others
Where: In theatres
Rating: 3 stars
The silver screen has witnessed many political thrillers. While some have set the box office on fire, others have simply fizzled out in the crowd. This week’s release is the Manoj Bajpayee starrer Governor. Whether it governs the box office or bites the dust remains to be seen.
The film starts in 1991- a time when India was facing a financial crisis. It was also a time when India’s foreign exchange reserves had almost been exhausted. Amidst all this A. Ramanan (Manoj Bajpayee) gets unexpectedly appointed as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Because Ramanan lacked a strong background in economics, his Deputy Governor C. Rangarajan (Naushad Mohammad Kunju) joins other senior government officials in doubting his abilities.
Just as Ramanan takes charge, his biggest challenge lies in a severe crisis triggered by the Gulf War. This leaves India with reserves sufficient for only a few weeks. Does Ramanan gets to prove his doubters wrong, does he become able to tackle the national crisis and if yes, in what way does he emerge successful while ensuring Indian flag flying high with pride and respect all over is what forms the rest of the film.
Actors' Performance
As for the performances, amidst a gamut of actors, the one name that really stands out is undoubtedly Manoj Bajpayee, who has not just walked every possible extra mile but also given his sweat and grime to this role. The impact of Manoj in this role is so strong that it becomes practically impossible to think of anyone else in his place.
He is closely followed by Adah Sharma, who shines in the role of a journalist, although her character becomes irritating in places. Besides them, the film convincingly moves forward with ample support from actors including Madhoo Shah, Jaywant Wadkar, Devaang Bagga, Krisha Kurup, Noushad Mohamed Kunju, and Paritosh Sand.
Direction, Music and Aesthetics
Chinmay Mandlekar, responsible for shaping the narrative called ‘Governor,’ delivers truly outstanding direction. Even though the film has its share of dull moments (not too many), he ensured it did not become yet another preachy and boring political drama.
The film boasts a strong and convincing narrative (Suvendu Bhatacharjee, Saurabh Bharat, Ravi Asrani and Vipul Amritlal Shah). The film features splendid cinematography (Vishal Sinha). On the other hand, the editor duo (Meghna Manchanda Sen, Sanjay Sharma) could have used their scissor magic more in the second half. The film’s music (by Amit Trivedi) is decent, and the background score syncs well with the narrative.
FPJ Verdict
Watch this film if you are a die-hard fan of Manoj Bajpayee or political thrillers. If not, then, keeping patience as the virtue, you can wait till the time the film streams on OTT platforms!