Friday, July 4, 2025
spot_img

Film: Buddha in a Traffic Jam

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

 Cast: Arunoday Singh, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Mahie Gill and

Aanchal Dwivedi Director: Vivek Agnihotri

 

Using the Chinese philosophy of Tao and by quoting Mao, Buddha in a Traffic Jam, is a contemporary, thought-provoking story presented in a pretentiously avant-garde fashion. An idealistic drama, it motivates and instigates the audience for a revolution. The drama, segmented into 10 chapters, unfurls in a pseudo intellectual manner. Seen from an urban student’s perspective, the film discusses political issues regarding NGOs, Maoists and the government. It stirs a storm in a hot tea cup, resulting in its contents to turn lukewarm and insipid. The epilogue is boring as it nearly sermonises. Correlating socialism and corruption, the film speaks about why socialism has no future and stimulates the audience for a revolution to change the world. But who will bell the cat? Vikram Pandit (Arunoday Singh), a marketing student at a business school, reluctantly gets drawn into the gambit when his professor Ranjan Batki(Anupam Kher) motivates him to improve the life a bitch, born again bitch”. Anupam Kher as their professor, Ranjan Batki is flat and unimpressive. By not adding any nuances to his character, he seems to be sleepwalking through his role. Pallavi Joshi as Sheetal, the professor’s wife who indulges in promoting the tribals, essays her part ably. Mahie Gill in ethnic wear as the NGO representative, Gopal K. Singh as the Naxal Chief and the actor playing Nanhe Singh, the politician, are notable. On the technical front, Attar Singh Saini’s cinematography captures the drama aptly. But it is the offscreen and onscreen sound design that is brilliantly layered by editor Sattyajit Gazmer. English music is infused into the background score to give the film an upbeat feel. The song like “Chand roz meri jaan” integrates aesthetically into the narration. Overall, with the students agitation happening all over the country, the film may appeal to the pseudo intellectuals but it does not create an impact at all as it is stuck in a jam of its own. (IANS)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

Air India denies allegations of forcing AI 171 crash victims’ families to disclose financial dependency

New Delhi, July 4:  Air India has denied allegations from British law firm Stewarts Law that it forced...

2nd Test: Jadeja hails ‘much grown’ skipper Gill after Edgbaston masterclass

Birmingham, July 4:  Ravindra Jadeja lavished praise on Shubman Gill after the Indian captain’s monumental double century powered...

Traditional medicine crucial to achieving global goals of Universal Health Coverage: Ayush Ministry

New Delhi, July 4:  Global goals like Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can only be met when traditional medicine...

Swami Vivekananda ignited sense of pride, confidence in history and cultural heritage: PM Modi

New Delhi, July 4:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid heartfelt homage to Swami Vivekananda on his...