<i>Kachchi Sadak</i> - Movie Review

By: Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM
Friday, September 15, 2006
In the 1970s and 1980s, a slew of masala movies hit the marquee with rapid succession. Stepfather ill-treats mother. Also abuses stepson. Stepson becomes a goonda. Joins hands with a gang. Add liquor barons to the story. Garnish it with blasts and explosions and generous doses of violence... The recipe is ready!

Unfortunately, a film like Kachchi Sadak comes at a time when moviegoers have decided to turn a blind eye to hardcore masala films. The film doesn't have anything novel to offer in terms of content and that is its biggest flaw.

Kachchi Sadak tells the story of Randhir [Rahul Singh], whose widow mother [Madhoo] re-marries to provide him with a father [Mukesh Tiwari], but due to the stepfather's sadistic nature, the boy grows into a man on the streets.

Unable to undo his mother's fate, he tries consolidating a career and giving her a better life, but his reckless reputation makes him a strong arm in the politically manipulated liquor trade, earning quick money and quicker enemies. A severe tragedy brings him into jail where he must face all his rivals, plus a cynical jailor [Amrish Puri].

It's easy to guess how Kachchi Sadak would unfold in those 2.30 hours. In fact, it constantly gives you the feeling of dÉjÀ vu as the reels unfurl. The film does start off well and the initial portions, although predictable, are well handled. The lead man's introduction, chasing a bunch of villains, is well canned. But things move downwards the moment the liquor barons [Tinnu Anand, Govind Namdeo] enter the story. And the graph only goes down as it progresses.

Sanjay Singh has handled a couple of scenes well, but is handicapped by an outdated plot. Kaushal-Moses's action is a plus point. A few stunts, especially the lead man's introduction, are well handled. Musically, a mediocre score. Camerawork is of standard. The locales of Rajasthan look beautiful.

Rahul Singh does an average job, but does well in stunts. Parmita provides some glamour. Amrish Puri is efficient. Rahul Dev is sincere. Madhoo is quite good, while Mukesh Tiwari impresses as the venomous stepfather. Aman Verma, Govind Namdeo, Tinnu Anand and Sharat Saxena are as usual. Mithun Chakraborty appears in a song.

On the whole, Kachchi Sadak is low on content and also hype. It's survival at the box-office seems remote.

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