SYNOPSICS
Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005) is a Hindi movie. Mahesh Manjrekar has directed this movie. Amitabh Bachchan,Sharmila Tagore,John Abraham,Sanjay Dutt are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2005. Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005) is considered one of the best Drama,Family movie in India and around the world.
Vidyadhar Patwardhan lives a middle-class life with his wife, Sumitra. They have a son, Amar, who lives abroad in London, U.K., and it is through his income that the family lives on. Then Amar returns home with Jenny Mayer, his fiancée, and both are welcomed. Both do not look kindly upon Amar's habit to drink. While the parents are busy preparing for a surprise birthday party for Amar, Amar gets himself killed in a fight. A devastated Vidyadhar and Sumitra arrange for his funeral, and thereafter follow-up with the police as to the conviction of the killer, who has been identified as Harshvardhan Kadam. The police version is quite different from that of Vidyadhar, and they claim that Amar and Jenny were involved in smuggling drugs, a fight ensued, and Amar was killed. Subsequently, two men are killed in a police encounter, after confessing that they had killed Amar over a fight over drugs. Then Jenny is arrested for possession of drugs and lodged in a cell. She is subsequently released...
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Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005) Reviews
linear story line with great acting by Bachan and Tagore
I am coming from Tamilnadu. In Tamil picture circuit rarely two post retirement/post menopausal couple are the chief protagonists. The last such film, I remember was "Vietnam Veedu". The Tamil filmdom thinks that old people can only be character actors. In our films even old male actors with fading faces have to act as lovers of heroines of their daughters' age. It is sometimes pathetic to see the old heavy actors making some dance sequences. So it is refreshing to see the old couple both in their mild and mature flirting with care for each other and the poignancy of their tragedy of the murder of their son and subsequent legal shenanigans. It is the younger men are the character actors in this film. Amitab Bachan and Sharmila Tagore act brilliantly bringing the gamut of emotions. The final meeting with the murderer was excellent. Of course the story line is linear and some excellent pieces of dialogue crop up. Yet there are a few rather typical cinematic scenes which are rather incongruous The old lady who is a retired teacher goes out with her teacher's cane and beats up the roguish Ali and others to bring some sense of decency in them which is rather too dramatic. Similarly the last verdict of NOT GUILTY on the old man is rather surprising. I am not a lawyer and am not aware of judicial nuances. But after all the old man is a murderer however justifiable his actions are and some token punishment (at least the time spent in the prison so far) would have been more judicial. Besides during the first trial the Home Minister and the Police went far out of the way in harassing Patwrdhan and his family but after his son's death the Home Minister seem to have been paralyzed. Nobody even tried to confiscate the tape recorder which ultimately reaches the presiding Judge of the second trial -"a shocking piece of evidence". The police officer who foisted the Drugs in the son's bedroom seemed to have gone scot-free. But for these loose ends, deliberately left for dramatic purposes, Viruddh is a very good and interesting film.
Punch-packed!! Extremely Good!!
Well-made! Well-Shot!! Mahesh Manjerekar redeems himself as a director. Story of a couple above sixty and their strife "versus" the system is told with much reality and grit. Though compared to "Saaraansh", Viruddh differs in the story and treatment. A retired couple with life revolving their only son, their daily routine and their daily interaction with neighbors and surroundings are penned with zeal. Their tragedy and their fight for what is the truth is touching and brings many a heart-rendering moments. The couple, played with an ease and truthfulness by Amitabh Bachchan and Sharmila Tagore, is heart-warming and touching. Watch out for them bantering between themselves over tea, the way they handle the "new" nuisance in their locality, the way they come to terms with tragedy and the system. Amitabh proves again that he is truly an actor to be reckoned with still. Sharmila gives able support. The end was too swift!! But thats very minor!! Watch it and have a warm experience!!
Powerpacked Drama
A movie that is full with power packed performances from Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham. It shows how the political power in India can ruin the life of a simple "common man". It shows how the entire system is inside a corrupted vicious cycle. It shows how the police, witnesses, and even law succumbs to political pressure. And Mahesh Manjrekar (as usual) gives an excellent output. Another good thing about the movie is that it contains no unnecessary songs/dance. Its kept to the point. The first half seemed a bit too long, and could have been shortened. However, it was compensated by a fast-paced second half. The film basically revolves around Amitabh and Sharmila Tagore, and all other characters including Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham, and Anusha Dandekar seemed to be doing a side role. All said and done, it is one of the best movies I have seen in 2005. Great performances, great story, and an overall good movie!!! Rating: 10/10
Viruddh---A struggle of a man
Its truly a Big B and Sharmila film.Mahesh Manjrekar is back with his good stocks after Astitva...The movie shows the struggle of an old man to justify his sons innocence to the society.Bachchan was superb.His expressions were splendid in each of the sequences.Sharmila is equally powerful,and both have shared a terrific on screen chemistry.Sanjay Dutt excels,though he got very less on screen time..Jhon was OK.. The only minus point of the movie is the climax..It could have been more twisted and realistic. One person is worth mentioning here is Amitabh Dayal..He was terrific. Some of the scenes which were well executed, 1) Amitabh Sharmila's conversations 2) Amitabh,Sharmila, Jhon and his wife together chatting at the bedroom. 3) Sanjay Dutt bashing the advocate. 4) Big B's conversation with Amitabh Dayal at the climax. 5) Big B pretending laughing at the park and bursts into tear. Go for the movie. You will like it. Sam
Needs editing but beautiful moments!
OK i was expecting something different but still i was happy overall with this movie. The starting is brilliant with the amit sitting in a cell cross legged saying nothing at all. As the first half draws together the family life of amit it does kind of drag on where you think when the hell is his son going to die and him fighting back? Although its got some gr8 comedy moments and sanjay dutt is brilliant as a mechanic called Ali. The movie takes a turn for the better once the son dies...the scene where amit is starring back at his son and his son narrates how he was wishing his dad would save him but both were helpless. I loved the way the son appears as the dead son narrating the film and offering us a glimpse into his life and his parents. I was expecting amit to start fighting in the courts for justice..i expected great speech's but thats not what happens. We actually get a more true to life account of amits fall into despair and the attempt to gain courage to take some action. there are lots of moments where you truly feel the pain of loss....the scene where amit is onthe bench and attempts to cheer himself by trying some laughter therapy just ends him breaking down into tears and i looking around i saw quite a few tears in the cinema audience..i too had to hold back. I thought the ending was rather sudden as if there as no time left to draw out some issues...instead the final court scene is so short i was expecting a nice long speech...or other high drama but no. Still you know i was actually perfectly happy with how things turned out..maybe the scriptwriter needed lessons in editing. One thing that really peeved me about the film was the in your face product placement...i felt like i was in some kind of commercial ad...it was just too blatant and it just made me angry...there was no need to such blatant advertising..ill def NOT be using damned sandoz calcium tablets! All in all a moving film..a film that proves once again the great acting capabilities of Amit...he just seems to be getting better and better with age...i think he was born to act no wonder he could never stay away from acting for long. I must say the film does haunt you once you have left the cinema..you recount little parts in the film..especially the bench scene which will stay with me forever.