Peepli Live (Hindi)
Release Date:
August 13, 2010Natha a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid government loan. A quick fix to the problem is the very same government's program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a means of survival Farmer Natha can choose to die!!! His brother is happy to push him towards this unique 'honor' but Natha is reluctant. Local elections are around the corner and what might've been another unnoticed event turns into a 'cause celebré' with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen and the ever zealous media descend upon sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. The question on everyone's lips "Will he or Won't he?" As the mania escalates what will be the fate of Farmer Natha; nobody seems to care how he really feels?
It is pitch black humor - beginning, middle, and end. This Aamir Khan production obviously laughs at everything in the system. Peepli Live slyly laughs at you and me, the audience who finds such a dark world funny. 'Farmer suicides' is not the only issue that Anshu Rizvi, the writer is referring to. Peepli Live points a finger at things far beyond and the irreparable(?) fault deep down in the crux.
Peepli [Live] doesn’t spare anyone and present everything that is wrong in our system with all their ugliness. However, the portrayal of TRP hungry media is getting a bit stereotypical here. It was a trend started by Madhur Bhadarkar’s Page 3 which has worked well so far but is fast reaching its expiry date. Anyways, the beauty of the film lies in the dizzying dynamics of opportunism among the politicians, journalists and almost everyone in general, and the obliviousness of the simpleton protagonist towards the same.
Peepli Live is a satire alright! Even with a dash of rustic humor and with a smell of grim pity thrown in for good measure. But does it manage to entertain you in its whole? No is the answer. This movie starts out well as a closer look into the plight of a farmer bogged down by impending confiscation of his land. Mixed quite well with countrified demeanour, Omkar Das (playing now famous Natha) remains constantly mystified while being coaxed by his elder brother Raghubir Yadav (playing Budhia) into suicide attempt. Pathos of this film aside, many other events in the movie make you roll with laughter but ultimately fade away after first forty five minutes or so. Humbugging of the media at its sensationalizing of the trivial, opportunistic politicians and fleecable villagers are cliche depicted and exhausted in many other satires. However, this one may be a tad better in its initial execution.
While i watched 'Peepli Live' for the second time today, i struggled hard to understand if i really missed something in the movie during the first watch. Why could i not use adjectives like 'awesome' or 'mind-blowing' for the movie after my first appointment with the movie?
http://www.desimartini.com/movies/review/movie/deferred-live-/1/454-7361-8138047-916.htm