A film that stars no big names yet promises an interesting story line, has the face of parallel cinema in the lead (Rajat Kapoor) and boasts of film festival awards is a sure fire interest rouser for fans of the newly emerged genre multiplex cinema. While some such experiments rock many simply fall flat on the face for example this one! Why?
Rating: 1.5/5
Starring: Rajat Kapoor, Sachin Nayak, Pradip Sagar, Pradeep Kabra
Director: Pryas Gupta
Siddharth – The Prisoner begins with Siddharth Roy (Kapoor) once a famous author now being released from jail. While he was in prison Siddharth had written a book and out now he hopes to get it published and earn some money and reputation back for him and most importantly get back his estranged wife Maya and son back in his life. But fate has other plans in stored for him.
When he visits a cyber café to send out an email, his briefcase that contains the manuscript of his yet to be published book gets exchanged with similar looking suitcase that contains Rs. 20 lacs. This money actually belongs to a dreaded goon called Aminbhai (Pradip Sagar). While Siddharth gets frustrated over loosing the only manuscript he had of his book, the aggravated Aminbhai holds the cyber café running chap, Mohan (Sachin Nayak) responsible for lose of his money and threatens him with life he doesn’t get back his suitcase.
What happens next forms the rest of the film!
While the promos of the film give the impression of the film being a tight thriller, the film in real is far from it. Lethargically paced, testing the patience of the viewer, the film fails to hold your attention beyond 20 minutes. What more? It gets preachy and tries to force a message down your throat. It begins with a verbatim excerpt from ancient scriptures of Rig Veda that goes – Make me immortal in that realm, where all wishes and longings go.
Agreed, the film attempts to explore the theme of renunciation of desire as the true path to enlightenment and freedom but it never quiet succeeds in explaining it successfully through its screenplay. Also what leaves you frustrated is that many questions still remain unanswered when the film ends! The climax is unintentionally hilarious! First timer Pryas Gupta extracts good performances from his cast but beyond that there is nothing worth praise for his directorial abilities.
Rajat Kapoor fits the part and does a good job. Debutante Sachin Nayak acts ably as well. Pradip Sagar does a fine job and shows his transformation from the hot headed bhai in the first half to a meek full of anxiety man in the second very well. Geeta Panchal as the scheming maid is okay.
The film will find it tough to complete even a week in multiplexes. Do yourself a favour liberate yourself from this torture by avoiding it!
