TABU, RAVEENA AND KONKANA WITH BIPS By Pankaj Shukla - Eye TV India Bureau
Critic's I-view
Think of Bipasha and soon glimpses of her donning two pieces and getting soaked on the beach with John Abraham in 'Jism' immediately flash in front of your eyes. Delve further and more scenes of films like 'Raaz', 'Ajnabee' and 'No Entry' make a collage in the perspective of a regular film viewer. Not even once does any scene from her film with Prakash Jha's 'Apaharan' come into mind simply because Prakash never played his story for her; that film was his favorite Ajay Devgan's.
But, Bipasha will always remain thankful to prolific director Madhur Bhandarkar who after giving Tabu, Raveena Tandon and Konkana Sen Sharma their lifetime roles in films 'Chandni Bar', 'Satta' and 'Page 3', now presents an author-backed role to her on a platter. As Nishigandha, a divorcee from Kolkata who comes to make a career in corporate world of Mumbai, Bipasha has suddenly leaped into a league where directors like Yash Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and even Karan Johar can look up to her for a substantial role.
'Corporate' presents another glam doll-turned-actor courtesy Madhur Bhandarkar. Madhur, who is nowadays busy shooting his next 'Traffic Signal', must be a happy man and will love to forget failure of 'Aan' and 'Trishakti' forever. He is a self- made man and from the days of being an assistant to director Ram Gopal Varma to being the most sought after director in the film world, has been through a treacherous path. However, he can now sit for some time in peace and enjoy the newly found status of a star maker.
The film releases on the day, when there have been few arrests in a spy case involving Cola giants like Pepsi and Coke. It is an irony that 'Corporate' deals with the same subject. Madhur must have taken a cue from the activists like Sunita Narayan's outcry over pesticides found in the soft drink bottles and then the whole matter settling down and going off the limelight. Madhur presents Bipasha Basu as Nishi, a girl who has an ambition to reach to the top.
She is ready to rub shoulders with men around; can fool them with her looks and has no issues to steal the future plans of the opposite group either by hook or by crook. She works for Sehgals. Her boss (Rajat Kapoor) gives a go ahead to her plan but she wants the project to be handled by her newfound love (Kay Kay). Both of them get going but the opposition (headed by Raj Babbar) cannot be a silent spectator. He throws a spanner after spanner. The administration is greased, politicians are trapped with the help of Bollywood beauties; money is thrown like pieces of paper and everything is happening just to get an upper hand in the market.
Everything works as per the plan. However, Nishi had never thought of a situation where she would be made the scapegoat. The new product is raided for pesticides. Sehgals are on the verge of destruction and Nishi is made to believe that only she can save them. She takes the blame on herself after a promise that she will be bailed out soon. But, 'Corporate' has another plan. Her love is targeted; she gives birth to her child and so on and so forth.
'Corporate' as an entertainer may not look a very familiar film in the beginning and most of the people may not even understand what is going on the screen? But this was also the case in 'Chandni Bar' and 'Page 3'. This is cinema Madhur style. 'Corporate' moves on with the same trajectory where one feels like a disturbing ride in the beginning but soon the inner world of the corporate conspiracy takes the outer world of viewers in its grasp. Madhur gets a good help from his teammate Manoj Tyagi in developing a very alien subject into a very interesting one. Money, power and politics are the main themes of the film, but Madhur introduces human angle in the post-interval.
If Tabu, Raveena and Konkana have been Madhur's protg in the past, it is Bengal babe Bipasha's turn in 'Corporate'. She excels in a story that required lot of efforts and courage to take on with the task. This is the first film where Bipasha has more to do than just look pretty, sing and dance. This is Bipasha's best performance till date and if she gets plenty of awards for this there should be no surprises. Beware, Rani and Preity, the big cat is on the prowl.
There are few scenes especially to watch out for, one where she listens to the news of Kay Kay's death and another where she hands over the project to Kay Kay. And Kay Kay too has done a wonderful job. His outburst in front of Sehgals is a masterpiece. Rajat Kapoor is very good and Raj Babbar's return to his first love (cinema) works as catalyst for the film. Payal Rohtagi does a titillating item number and shows her stamina. Vinay Apte as lecherous minister is average, but Manisha Lamba and Sammir Dattani have just been turned into props. 'Corporate' is a film for metros and will work for Madhur in all good ways.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Anupamaa
Dr Aarambhi
10