Main Atal Hoon Movie Review: Pankaj Tripathi shines as Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Language: Hindi

Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Piyush Mishra, Raja Sevak, Ekta Kaul, Daya Shankar Pandey, Pramod Pathak, Payal Nair, Harshad Kumar

Director: Ravi Jadhav

One of the favourite personalities in Indian politics, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was brought to life by Pankaj Tripathi in the most skillful manner. The first half of Main Atal Hoon was slow, but as the narrative started growing, National Award-winning director Ravi Jadhav made sure that we don’t miss out on any part of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s, whether it is his personal or professional life.

Shown in a tasteful and responsible manner, by filmmaker Jadhav by not shying away from any minute details from Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s personal life which included his affection for Mrs Kual. His ‘Átal’ friendship is often talked about in many ways, but the film shows how she was quite a force behind the former Prime Minister in shaping his thoughts.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was very different from present day politicians and that is what makes him ‘Atal’. The film clearly shows that one doesn’t need to be aggressive, shrewd and loud to be successful in one’s mission. He understood the pulse of the people and the needs of the nation.

Slow-paced as many viewers might find it. But that I would say was the pace of Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was never in a hurry to achieve anything in life. His vision was clear to see a successful and progressive India. Less of a politician and more of a human, hence his connection with the people of India was better.

The film Main Atal Hoon not even tried to dramatize patriotism and none of his speeches shows how secure a politician he was. But at the same time, he put forward his points firmly without showing any disrespect to any political party. The research that went behind the making of the movie was brilliant.

But I was hoping that the film would show more of his achievements like the Pokhran nuclear test when India actually took the first step towards becoming a nuclear power. He was a person who was aloof with his party members, but not disconnected and never once did he try to backstab anybody even those from the opponent party. The film shows that in many instances even his relationship with LK Advani. He knew how to keep friendships and he knew exactly when his own people were talking behind his back.

Coming to the performance of Pankaj Tripathi , he was absolutely brilliant in playing the role of India’s 10th Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The mannerism, the way he moved his head, the delivery of the dialogue, the gait everything was perfect. Most importantly, he brought depth into the character and didn’t make it look like a mimicry.  I felt what the movie missed out on was what made this poet turned politician Atal, the human behind the late Prime Minister’s life, the creative person that he was, the fantastic orator and his achievements. It was more about the formation of the Hindu Rashtra and the Bharatiya Janata Party. That could have been balanced with equal emphasis given to both.

Rating: 3 out of 5

WATCH Main Atal Hoon trailer here: 

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._

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