Guru

If you're going to watch the latest Maniratnam offering expecting to feel the call of patriotism, then cut that ambition short. Guru, is the story of an individual, and while the director clearly claims it is a work of fiction, I suppose it's a well-known fact that the movie is "loosely" based upon Dhirubhai Ambani. The essence of the movie is this:

• Middle-class individual attains fame, prosperity by using loopholes(legal and illegal) provided in an imperfect system
• Individual is held accountable for his methods

The question that Maniratnam would like to leave you with is "Can a man be held guilty for taking advantage of the system?" Not only in India, but nowhere in the world do we have omnipotent systems. Where humans are involved, there is always scope for back door entry. Let me cite an example, Britain is supposed to have paid huge kickbacks to Saudi officials to secure an arms deal. The investigation was controversially dropped. So is it fair to say "if bribes are a part of the system, then there is no harm in making use of it?" I think not.
Firstly, bribes are never part of a system, systems are unemotional and monotonous. It is the human element in any system that attracts practices such as bribes.
Second, bribes to secure deals, effectively cut-off fair players. An analogy would be an athlete taking steroids, it increases his chances of winning in an unfair manner. And surely the shrewd character "Guru" realizes that, but the director chooses not to dwell upon it.
I think the movie is worth a watch, looses focus in between but gets back on track. The performances are good, the main characters have really managed to hold their ground. Junior Bachchan does well in his portrayal. Rai looks beautiful as she maintains the simplicity of the Indian middle class woman. On a different note, I wonder whether the Bachchan-Rai engagement was carefully timed with the release of the movie...?