Disappointing Dynasty

Despite a promising start on the political themes - including the tension between a young woman with political vision and her reactionary father - the film gradually deteriorated. Yes, it does highlight corruption and self-centered political ambition, and it is shot on an epic scale, but the main characters are poorly drawn, there are various clumsy plot devices that then 'force' people to act in certain ways, and their stories get lost in a series of violent confrontations that do little to explain politics, people or to suggest that there might be any worthwhile political visions or activism anywhere. Although the women's roles sometimes hint at the possibilities for a more committed politics, the film gives them some very stereotyped roles (and some awful dialogue!) where they are generally little more than self sacrificing stooges for the men - hardly a reflection of the many women who are active at so many levels of Indian political life.