Film Review: Main Atal Hoon [I am Atal]

Starring: Pankaj Tripathi, Piyush Mishra, Raja Rameshkumar Sevak, Daya Shankar Pandey, Pramod Pathak, Payal Nair, Rajesh Khatri, Eklakh Khan, Harshad Kumar, Haresh Khatri, Sapna Yadav, Paula McGlynn, Gauri Sukhtankar

Director: Ravi Jadhav

Pankaj Tripathi has made himself a name in the Indian cinematic landscape as a versatile and talented actor, and deservingly so. His vast array of films and roles from various cinematic genres all stand to showcase his acting prowess. His recent outing as the charming yet ruthless police officer Bhawani Singh in Murder Mubarak is just one of many examples of his ability to bring out the most from each character.

It is, therefore, both surprising and disappointing that Tripathi’s portrayal of the former Indian Prime Minister, the late Atal Bihari Bajpayee, in his latest biographical film ‘Main Atal Hoon’ seems to be missing a thing or two.

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The film, now streaming on Zee5 Global for worldwide audiences, aims to capture key moments and snippets from the former PM’s life, starting with his humble beginnings in rural India to some of the key highlights of his political career. Covering an eventful period in the Indian history, the film touches on events like the Emergency, the first Bharatiya Janata Party-led government and Sonia Gandhi’s entry on the scene. Despite the many scenes scattered throughout the film which offer the chance to explore the emotions, motivations and aspirations of the charismatic personality of Bajpayee, the film fails to bring out depth and intricacies in the character.

Having said that, Bajpayee’s poetry, patriotism and his passion for his countrymen is evident throughout the film, and those familiar with India’s political landscape are sure to notice the presence of BJP’s most prominent leaders – such as Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely – as young, up and coming voices of the time.

The supporting cast, especially Sukhtankar as Swaraj, do justice to their respective characters and the make up and costume designing is spot on with each and every character, as is the cinematography which brings out some truly beautiful shots and angles.

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The film’s music and soundtrack are also very good, with songs like Desh Pehla and Ankaha gaining good traction on YouTube and other platforms.

Overall, despite the flaws, the film will make a good one-time watch for the family.