Satya (1998) - Movie Review

 

SATYA

Language: Hindi

Release Date: 3^rd July, 1998

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Starring: J.D. Chakravarthy, Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Saurabh Shukla, Shefali Shah, Paresh Rawal

Satya can be considered to be one of the few prominent movies that carved the future of Bollywood. There`s a certain charm to this movie, and many precious factors contribute to that charm. Satya follows the story of a character, that does not have a past to define him. The only thing known about him is his name ‘Satya’ which means ‘truth’ and it is ironically also the title of this movie. Therefore, you are expected to totally rely on the behavioral choices made by the character within the present tense of the plot, if you are keen on discovering and learning more about the protagonist. Having a character without a defining past is a really risky move, and it could have struck back heavily. This is because your only option is to create a personality for the main character through the various situations that he is caught up in, as the movie progresses.

 

Although Satya is able to do that to a satisfying extent, the movie by itself is not about the protagonist. Make no mistake, J.D. Chakravarthy was able to decently play the role and left very little room to allow criticism with regards to his acting abilities. But in most popular cases, the protagonist is the heart of the movie and is responsible for giving the movie an identity. The character ‘Satya’ is by no means as capable to do that, in fact, one could go to the extent of labeling him as generic. You really don`t get an opportunity to explore much of the character, and only a little glimpse of his emotional side can be witnessed in the ending. I do not blame the actor, perhaps the writing team intended on making the character generic so that he could be a medium through which the audience could actually explore the crucial elements that the movie aims at highlighting. What are those crucial elements? Let`s find out!

(The introductory scene, where it all began)

So circumstances drive the protagonist, Satya, to switch to the path of criminal activities. And from there on, it is a chronological compilation of decisions made by him on behalf of his small team of gangsters. To what extent they are successful and just, is left to the viewer`s interpretation. The movie actively engages the audience in the decision-making process projected on the screen, and as the viewer, you are motivated to be critical about certain decisions made by the characters. Or rather frame an opinion about them, predicting the consequences of those decisions and also arriving at conclusions based on your own understanding of the underworld that is portrayed in the movie. There`s a difference between watching a movie and being involved in the movie. Satya has the potential of falling in the latter category, and that is the ultimate feat that`s accomplished by it.

(Manoj Bajpayee`s performance as Bhiku Mhatre stole the show, and won him the National Award for supporting character) 

As discussed before, the protagonist here plays the role of a medium that connects the audience and the events taking place in the movie, without himself being the movie`s defining strength. But the protagonist alone does not speak for the caliber of the entire cast. Certain characters really stand out, and they should. Because a successful plot is the combination of interesting characters and how well they blend in with the story/setting. Satya does that perfectly. Manoj Bajpayee in particular bagged the National Award for his role as ‘Bhiku Mhatre,’ a renowned local gang leader who ends up befriending the protagonist, during his brief time in prison. This particular character was well written and perfectly acted, and was the focal point of the movie from an entertaining perspective. Bhiku Mhatre is capable of being a very flexible character. He possesses traits that make him a reliable comic relief character, while also having the potential to be taken seriously. Manoj Bajpayee`s acting pushed the character`s potential to its limits, which is why he is regarded as one of the greatest and most underrated performers in the industry. It is to no surprise that this was a breakthrough role in his career, laying the foundation for more successful movies in the future.

(Satya has its fair share of violence, and does not hold back from depicting gore)

 Another notable role in the movie is that of Kallu Mama, the brains behind the management of the gang. It was played by Saurabh Shukla, who is also one of the writers alongside Anurag Kashyap. This particular role is also very intelligent, given the fact that the character`s personality is prone to change depending on the situation he is put into. Saurabh Shukla has perfectly portrayed an old, wise man within the business, with experience under his sleeve to accurately understand it. Other notable roles with commendable acting include Shefali Shah as Pyari Mhatre, Bhiku`s loud-mouthed wife who shares intense chemistry with him. And Snehal Dabi as Chander, a comic relief character in Bhiku`s gang who thinks too highly of himself despite being the weakest link in the gang. These characters play a crucial role in tying the movie together and make up for the lack of personality emitted by the main character. 

(The king of all soundtracks, and one of the driving forces behind the success of this film)

Another department that Satya manages to deliver in, it is the music and soundtrack one. Cringe dance sequences accompanied by a generic song were very prominent in that era of Bollywood, and this tradition is evident even today. However, Satya tries its best to restrict the ‘cringe’ factor associated with Bollywood music to a bare minimum. The song ‘Sapne Mein’ stood out from all the other tracks that were at a mediocre level, and attained tremendous success. Most of the cast is featured in an unchoreographed dance sequence, in a typical setting of an Indian wedding. This particular song ironically went on to become one of the most widely played songs in Indian weddings, due to the catchy rhythmic beat that makes it suitable for enthusiastic dancing.

(A shot of the protagonist with his love interest)

Apart from the main purpose that music serves in any movie, Satya it also takes an initiative to use it as a medium through which the personality of each character could be highlighted. This is best observed in the song ‘Goli Maar Bheje Mein’ which features the gang in their drunk state, partying at their den. This showcases not only how the criminal activities were evident in Bombay during that era, but also humanizes those who indulge in such activities and normalizes their life of crime. Another beautiful piece of music is Mood of Satya, which was composed by Sandeep Chowta. It acts as the background music to the most intense and thrilling scenes, and the movie itself would have been incomplete without this masterpiece of a track. It accurately depicts the true darkness that the city of Mumbai was trapped in, during the 90s. It is one of those rare instances where the background music stands out and easily gets associated with the movie.

(Mumbai ka king kon? Bhiku Mhatre!)

Satya is noted for its realistic portrayal of the underworld. But in my opinion, I don`t think that the movie is realistic in any sense. And there`s nothing wrong with that, after all, it is a Bollywood drama and not a documentary. The ability to make a movie seem realistic proves that your movie was able to establish a connection with the audience. One should take into consideration that Satya was released in an era where no one dared to do something unique, and everyone stuck to the traditional norms of filmmaking so as to avoid taking risks. But Ram Gopal Varma was not afraid to take a risk, and that is why he is known as one of the most influential directors within the industry. And so, Satya was an impactful movie that changed the thought process behind film-making, which is why it is crowned as a ‘cult’ film today.