Shakti: The Power

"Shakti: The Power" limns the desperate efforts of a lone mother to escape a far-flung feudalistic society with her young son. Strikingly lensed in the wild semi-deserts of Rajasthan, and anchored by a finely shaded performance from Nana Patekar, film swings between believable realism and Bollywood formulae to rocky results.

"Shakti: The Power" limns the desperate efforts of a lone mother to escape a far-flung feudalistic society with her young son. Strikingly lensed in the wild semi-deserts of Rajasthan, and anchored by a finely shaded performance from Nana Patekar, film swings between believable realism and Bollywood formulae to rocky results.

A potentially fine picture in search of a much better director, “Shakti: The Power” limns the desperate efforts of a lone mother to escape a far-flung feudalistic society with her young son. Strikingly lensed in the wild semi-deserts of Rajasthan, and anchored by a finely shaded performance from Nana Patekar as the patriarchal father-in-law, film swings between believable realism and Bollywood formulae to rocky results. One of this fall’s big Hindi titles, “Shakti” has generated only average B.O. power since opening Sept. 20.

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Opening 15 minutes are promising, as Nandini (Karisma Kapoor), a comfortably-well off nonresident Indian in Vancouver, marries old friend Shekhar (Sanjay Kapoor, no relation), owner of a bowling alley. By the time the first musical number has finished, they have a young son, Raja (Jai Gidwani).

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In a premonition of things to come, pic’s style suddenly goes into overdrive when Shekhar sees bloody news footage of his native province and agitatedly starts calling home and screaming at his wife. Next thing, the whole family is on a plane, then train, to his hometown — whose location is never specified but is so remote that they almost get murdered by bandits en route.

Nandini gets a crash course in Shekhar’s family, ruled by paterfamilias Narsimha (Patekar) and his compliant wife (Deepti Naval). Effectively the godfather-cum-warlord of a region comprising 40 villages, Narsimha lives in an old-style fortress and dispenses justice with mediaeval simplicity.

Nandini soon starts nagging Shekhar to return home, but he keeps delaying the trip under pressure from his mom. Only when Shekhar is killed by his father’s enemies, and Narsimha refuses to let Nandini take Raja back to Canada, does Nandini take matters into her own hands, with violent consequences.

It’s a cracking story, in spectacular locations, but writer-helmer Krishna Vamsi — basically remaking his Telugu hit “Anthapuram” — keeps fumbling the ball. In a considered performance, Patekar makes Narsimha much more than just an unfeeling villain, and Naval, who gets a chance to shine in part two, is also first-rate as his apparently subservient wife.

However, Karisma Kapoor, an actress of considerable range, seems constrained to tearful hysteria, and Sanjay Kapoor is bland as her husband. Megastar Shah Rukh Khan, who appears in second half as a comic alcohol smuggler who helps Nandini escape, seems to have wandered in from another movie.

Tech credits are similarly Janus-like. Widescreen lensing by S. Sriram of the Rajasthan locations has a verismo feel that can be both dramatic and (in a celebratory number by Narsimha’s “vassals”) exhilarating. Later scenes of Nandini on the run in the desert also make gravity-defying use of the louma crane. However, background music and editing are both of the sledgehammer variety.

Overall, pic is diverting enough in a cheesy way: Even an eye-popping wet-sari number by megababe Aishwarya Rai is stitched into the second half during Nandini’s darkest moment. Still, “Shakti” is ultimately a frustrating experience — contempo Bollywood is capable of much better than this, and too often the finer movie that lies beneath the surface keeps peeking through.

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Shakti: The Power

India

  • Production: An Eros Intl. release (in U.K.) of a Sridevi Kapoor/Boney Kapoor presentation of a Sridevi Prods. production. Produced by Sridevi Kapoor. Executive producer, Trilok Malhotra. Directed by Krishna Vamsi. Screenplay, Vamsi, Kamal Pandey.
  • Crew: Camera (color, widescreen), S. Sriram; editor, Kartikan ; background music, Mani Sharma; song music, Ismail Darbar; lyrics, Mehboob, Sameer ; art director, Priten Patil; costume designers, Manish Malhotra, Mandira Sharma; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS Digital), Santosh, Feroz; associate camera, G. Selvakumar; choreographers, Farah Khan, Ganesh Acharya; action director, Allan Amin; assistant director, Shyam Sunder. Reviewed at Warner Village West End 1, London, Sept. 26, 2002. Running time: 173 MIN. (I: 81 MIN.; II: 92 MIN.).
  • With: With: Nana Patekar, Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Prabhu Deva, Deepti Naval, Ritu Shivpuri, Jai Gidwani, Tiku Talsania, Vijay Raaz, Jaspal Bhatti. (Hindi dialogue)

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