Chandramukhi Movie Review: An Earnest Amruta Khanvilkar In A Film That Has Its Moments

Chandramukhi, based on Vishwas Patil's novel of the same name (with all allusions to Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Devdas flitting through unacknowledged) is a love triangle set in the '70s when Lavani/Tamasha artistes were the rage in Maharashtra and some big politician had a destitute folk artiste as his paramour. Vishwas Patil's novel has politicians as the principal characters, so the drama basically comes from an illicit romantic liaison playing hara-kiri with a young and dashing, much married political scion's sky rocketing political career.

Story

The film opens with the funeral of an erstwhile minister of industry, Jamnalal Tripathi, who leaves behind a vacuum in the central cabinet - just the kind of chance ex-chief minister of Maharashtra-turned-political advisor to the ruling party at the centre, Dadasaheb (Dr Mohan Agashe) is waiting for.

Dadasaheb has two daughters married to politicians. His older son-in-law, a corrupt schemer, Nanasaheb Jondhale (Rajendra Shirsatkar) is an MLA. His younger son-in-law Daulat Rao Deshmane (Addinath Kothare), an MP, is the one aiming for the industry minister post thanks to Dadasaheb's behind-the-scenes machinations.

Just when Daulat Rao believes the coveted post to be in his kitty, there's a furore created in central political circles by a front page media expose regarding Daulat's extramarital liaison with a Lavani/Tamasha artiste Chandramukhi (Amruta Khanvilkar).

It's the typical 'married man falling into disrepute by visiting kothas and ending up falling for the prized kothewali/courtesan' construct that we've seen in numerous Hindi and other language films. So there's really nothing new here other than the culture specific intonations and the political backdrop.

The Writing

The screenplay written by Chinmay Mandlekar goes through copiously melodramatic lengths to stress that point - dragging the story through an unnecessary, unbecoming and tedious runtime. At 169 minutes, it is 'trying' to say the least.

It would have been far more enriching if the scriptwriter and director had concentrated on the destitution and desperation that leads unsung folk artistes to fall for married paramours whose brief bouts of benevolence help them survive through the rough patches - developing that aspect to make this effort more meaningful. That aspect does get a mention, as does the poetry, folk art and unsung folk artistes associated with the Lavani/Tamasha but that's mostly incidental and not the main theme of this film.

Music and Lyrics, Dialogues, Background Score

The lyrics in Chandramukhi (and there's plenty of it) are fairly poetic but Ajay-Atul's music fails to lend all of them the melodious immensity require. The dialogues are of an inconsistent quality where characters break off into English at their own whims and fancies.

The background score is terribly off-putting. It fails to embellish some fairly interesting onscreen moments created by the successful actor-turned-director Prasad Oak. It adds misery to the overall engagement.

The Narrative

The narrative is rather inconsistent - plagued by imbalance of themes and lack of commitment to achieve a well-told structure.

Chandramukhi should have been a love triangle set in a political backdrop. But as Prasad Oak envisions it, there appears to be a distinct lack of consistency in purpose. Resorting to buffoonery for comedy and over-exaggeration to suggest villainy only makes it seem more of a trivial pursuit. Even the editing allows for too many unnecessary scenes to overburden the narrative.

Choreography

Ashish Patil and Dipali Vichare's choreography allows for authenticity in dance. But Sanjay Memane's cinematography is not able to headline the titular character's luminosity just as the writing fails to highlight her intrinsic characteristics. So we get a half-baked, inconsistent Chandramukhi at best.

Chandramukhi, incidentally, is the progeny of famed poet Umarji Rao and acclaimed Lavani artiste and playwright Hirabai. So, stereotypically, she is the pure maiden who falls into disrepute because of tragic circumstances that causes her indebtedness to Lalan maushi (a variation on the brothel madam who runs her own establishment and expects her pound of flesh) of Sarang Phata.

Performances

The political ramifications of 'outed illicit love' are triggered by Nanasaheb's insanely jealous machinations. And as such that character is pivotal to the drama here. Unfortunately the manner in which Rajendra Shirsatkar plays it, he comes across as a crude political buffoon who lacks the stature or pizazz to be an elected MLA. His attempt at Shakti Kapoor/Kader Khan type crude comedic villainy doesn't lend the drama any heft other than obvious, cheap thrills. Most of the characterisations in Chandramukhi are poorly crafted.

The affected wife Dolly (Mrunmayee Deshpande) suddenly becomes party to twin traumas - discovering her husband's infidelity and getting afflicted by the hole-in-the-heart syndrome - both literally and metaphorically. Her older sister is presented as a naïve, trusting soul who is totally blind to her husband's numerous faults. And Dadasaheb's presence here is warranted as a sagacious political advisor but we rarely see proof of that metric other than in some stray dialogue.

As for Amruta Khanvilkar's Chandramukhi - she is competent and earnest in effort but the projected visual dynamics don't allow her tragic circumstance to be affecting. Addinath Kothare is effective enough. Samir Choughule as Battasha has some poignant moments. Veteran Dr. Mohan Agashe adds thespian weight to the dramatics.

Verdict

But eventually the film fails to raise the bar to either entertaining or meaningful. It's only in the final throes of the runtime that Oak manufactures a telling moment - as Chandramukhi has her final confrontation with her paramour and climbs up the ruins towards a full moon metaphorically waiting to embrace her in its luminosity. If only what came before had that kind of brilliance, Chandramukhi would have been a different film altogether.

Rating

We will go with 2.5/5 stars for Chandramukhi.