'Murakh The Idiot' on JioCinema: Reasons to watch Virendra Saxena-starrer
Murakh The Idiot, starring veteran actor Virendra Saxena and Arfi Laamba, is now streaming on JioCinema as part of its digital film festival. Directed by Ruchi Joshi and Sriram Ganapathy and produced by Bombay Berlin Film Production, the 18-minute-long short is centered around Abdul Hamid Hassan, who hijacks a Bengaluru-bound Air India flight. Original and inventive in its concept, it's propelled by brilliant performances.
Stream it for ingenuity of storyline
Murakh focuses on Hassan, who seeks to divert the said flight to Australia to meet his wife, who works as a maid there and has not been in touch with him. The plot is riveting, and the concept is original. It fools you into believing it will be a comedy but then takes on somber, grim themes, laying the foundation of a serious affair.
Lamba's performance: He makes you feel for him
Lamba (Fugly, Singh Is Bliing) is believable as a man ripped apart by forlornness and destituteness, so much so that he sees no other recourse apart from taking on the worst way out and jeopardizing his life. Despite the drama's limited runtime, his emotions translate onscreen, and conversations between him and Saxena (a police officer) are pregnant with genuine—though sometimes melodramatic—emotions.
Saxena has commanding presence in each frame
Saxena has enjoyed a memorable artistic run and has been part of projects such as Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and Saathiya. Here, too, he is at his effortless best and has a commanding presence as a police officer who interrogates Hassan. Within minutes, he goes from being an unrelenting officer to an empathetic man who fathoms the faults of the "system."
Satire on media, though slightly overdone, is still watchable
Murakh also launches a satire on the media, and admittedly, in those moments, it comes off as trying too hard. However, once you can look past that, the film's agendas become clear: it seeks to expose the nauseating commentary that sometimes airs on primetime TV. Through Hassan, we are reminded of frequent media trials—they are unnecessary, agenda-driven, and shockingly vitriolic.
Technicalities: Why 'Murakh' is in monochrome
I find it especially interesting that the film is in monochrome, and there can be several interpretations of this. It is in tune with the grim, despondent themes raised in the short film, or it could also reflect a memory, an incident in the distant past. The sound of a clock ticking further adds to this pervasive gloom and a sense of impending doom.
