Peepli [Live]

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Omkar Das Manikpuri, Raghubir Yadav, Shalini Vatsa, Malaika Shenoy, Nazrudeen Shah
Director : Anusha Rizvi
Producer : Amir Khan
Music : Indian Ocean, Nageen Tanvir, Mathias Duplessy (bg score)

Statistics says that the bollywood actor Amir Khan has taken his profession seriously in the post 2000 period only and his movie career reached to the next level, by acting and producing a project like 'Lagaan'. Traveling through 'Dil Chahtha Hai', 'Rangde Basanthi', 'Fanaa' and 'Gajini', he became a super hit director through 'Taare Zameen Par'. He is still enjoying the success as an actor, '3 Idiots' is the latest example. In the middle, he had launched his nephew Imran Khan by producing 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na'. Now it is time for him to wear the producer's suits once again. The movie titled 'Peepli [Live]', has got many new faces in the lead roles (you won't identify a familiar artist other than Nazrudeen Shah here). The lady writer-director is also new, a former journalist, Anusha Rizvi. UTV pictures is the co-producer.

This is the story of a poor farmer Natha (Omkar Das Manikpuri), who lives in the rural village area in MP. His wife (Shalini Vatsa) usually scolds him for not finding a solution for the repayment of loan taken from the government. He and his brother (Raghubir Yadav) is knocking many doors, finally when they meet the local politicians, they tell them that the government is able to pay an amount of one lakh for the the families of those farmers who are committing suicide.

Now Natha decides to commit suicide to get the amount. The news comes in a local news paper. A popular TV reporter (Malaika Shenoy) had made an exclusive story on Natha's decision for getting suicide. All the channel representatives now rushes to the place and now Natha became the hot talk of the town. The politicians are getting alert now and news reached the offices of the Chief Minister and the Union Agriculture Minister (Nazaruddin Shah). With the elections coming in the near future, the political parties try to take advantage of the issue. To overcome the competition, the media is also playing their game. Thus goes the incidents of 'Peepli [Live]'.

The movie is a representation of the poor farmers who are taking much pain to meet the both ends of their life. The cheap plays done by the political parties for their existence is shown realistically. Director Anusha Rizvi, knows very well the way in which a visual medium tackles the news for their existence. It is evident in the scenes featuring the tv channel executives and the reporters at Natha's house. The choosing of new faces in the farmer's family are notable. Their emotions are dominated to such a level by the poverty which is understood from their decision to even commit suicide for getting help from the government and in another scene they are keeping silence even after knowing that no one is going to help them, but still keep faith in the government bodies continues, which is a real reflection on our society. In many areas, 'Peepli [Live]' has got the look of a foreign classic. Producer Amir Khan's keen interest to produce a low budget movie bearing a social theme, with a new director and many new artists needs claps.

Omkar Das Manikpuri and Raghubir Yadav had done equally well in the lead roles. Shalini Vatsa as the farmer's wife is natural. The dialogues (though difficult to follow some of them, as the rendering is in a local tone) of the old lady who belongs to Natha's family is also a real portrait. The actions of Malaika Shenoy as the news reader is attractive. To be in the minister's role is not a tough task for Nazrudeen Shah. Cinematographer Shankar Raman and Editor Hemanti Sarkar gave good support for the debutant director. The songs are not cinematic, they appears in a regional folk style only. The movie has got background score (by Mathias Duplessy) in very few shots only (may be around a minute or two), but it has never affected the speed.


'Peepli [Live]' is a good satire on politicians and media peoples; while going through the 64th independent year of our country, it gives us the real picture of exploitation of poverty that still exists in the villages, even if the urban development is going fast.


Rating : 9 / 10