Shakeela biopic fails to appeal

At one point of time, her films were almost one- third of the total releases in Malayalam cinema. In 2001, as a newsmagazine report mentions, 30 films out of a total of 97 were her films in God's Own Country, with the male superstars like Mohanlal having their releases in single digits. Shakeela, the 21st century sex bomb (who took over from where Seema and Silk Smitha dominated the soft porn film market in southern India) was a red hot favourite of small budget film makers who wanted to peddle erotica with no screenplay but have skin show to compensate for lack of a gripping narrative. This Nellore-based actress, who began her career in 2000 was the buxom fit for this trend which was very popular, upstaging the careers of heroes and heroines for a while in Malayalam cinema.

Of course, for the right reasons of commercial appeal, the Hindi film world has picked up the theme having Richa Chadda essay the titular role in the film directed by Indrajit Lankesh. Having directed a clutch of Kannada films in the past 15 years and more, Indrajit's film had the appropriate spotlight on it but seems to have disappointed the audience who were looking for a watchable biopic of the controversial star who was unapologetic and enjoyed phenomenal appeal among the male audience all over the world.

Having Pankaj Tripathi, playing a southern superstar was another casting coup. Yet the reviews have been unflattering, with the mainstream press ripping it, giving it poor ratings. On the digital media, the comments were even more direct and blunt. Said one website: 'Indrajit Lankesh should seriously consider joining film school or watching thousands of YouTube tutorials on how to direct movies before touching a script again.'

Further, it adds: Richa Chadha and Pankaj Tripathi are two of the greatest actors working in the industry right now. You can put them anywhere, give them the stupidest lines, and make them do the most idiotic things in the world, and somehow they will find that strand of humanity in it and use it to try and connect us with the character. And they try to do it here as well. Every time Tripathi graces a set with his presence, he aces it with his dry sense of humour. Chadha has her moments with her peak being the scene when she breaks down in front of her body double after finding out how she has been betrayed. She really sells the pain, anguish, and pure desperation coursing through her veins. However, sadly, since everything else around them is so horrendous that I guess even they will want to disassociate with Shakeela, the movie.

Interestingly, the film, released during the Christmas weekend has been released in Hyderabad a week later in Hindi and Telugu, which has killed its box-office appeal, owing to lack of theatres last week for its simultaneous exhibition in the Telugu States, one hears.

- KNK