Sinhasan

सिंहासन (1979) – Sujata Chitra – Black & White.

Produced by: - D.V. Rao & Dr. Jabbar Patel

Directed by: - Dr. Jabbar Patel
Storyline: - Based on Arun Sadhu’s novels "सिंहासन" & "मुंबई दिनांक"
Music by: - Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar
Screenplay by: - Vijay Tendulkar

Awards:- - 8 Maharashtra State Awards, 2 National State Awards for Best Film and Best Director।

Reviewed here by:- Swapnil B. Walunj

The Story in short:-
The movie starts with an assembly session where Chief Minister (Arun Sarnaik) has to leave the heated discussion to attend an urgent call. The caller (claims to be a well-wisher and informer) informs CM that some the members from his own party are secretively planning to remove him from his chair. The phone call changes the political scenario in the state and many activities start taking place behind the curtains. CM obviously doubts the Finance Minister of the state (Shriram Lagoo) who has started gathering the support of MLAs for trying to pose himself as a better candidate for a Chief Ministerial Post. In this chaos, certain factors like Media (Nilu Phule – Digambar - A journalist), a Union Leader named D’casta who has decided to take head on with smugglers (see a young Nana Patekar – a small time criminal) gain high bargaining power. The struggle for the power reaches to the peak when CM deals with the issues like Hunger strike, worker’s strike, famine and deaths due to malnutrition. Digambar (who is already troubled in his personal life) observes all these negotiations, compromises and Horse-trading that are happening in the political arena. Union leader announces a conference where he is going to reveal some secrets, FM almost manages to gather the required numbers and CM tries to judge who is on which side. And as a last nail in the coffin, one of the confidants in Police informs CM that Police is about to arrested his (CM’s) brother-in law with the charges of smuggling.
The FM faction is about to start the celebrations and suddenly a news strikes that shocks each and everyone involved. What is that news? Is it really true? What impact would it have on the political scene? The future events are very fast and unimaginable. Would a common man like Digambar be able to cope up with these changes? And what happens to Digambar? THE END leaves you stunned.

The Plot and Background:-
Acclaimed as the first political film in India, "Sinhasan" has its own historical importance. The film was made in the post-emergency period when the Janata Party was in Power. Well known journalist & novelist Arun Sadhu's two novels "Mumbai Dinank" and "Sinhasan", both great works of literature became the base for Sinhasan's screenplay, brilliantly crafted by internationally known playwright Vijay Tendulkar.

Treating the stark 'Power Game' in black & white, Director Dr. Jabbar Patel with his strong theatre background brings out the inner turmoil of people in power, their helplessness for the mere survival in the ruthless political arena.

"Sinhasan" boasts of a starcast that has been rarely seen elsewhere, featuring the who's who of Marathi Cinema & Theatre. Shriram Lagoo, Nilu Phule, Arun Sarnaik, Datta Bhatt, Nana Patekar, Mohan Agashe, Satish Dubhashi with 35 major actors, give in their Lifetime's Best performances.

"Sinhasan" was shot on the real locations like the Secretariat, the residence of the ministers, the Chief minister's Cabin and the press conference room, all thanks to the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Sharad Pawar.

Sinhasan has a huge commercial success at the box office; Sinhasan also won huge critical acclaim. It bagged 8 Maharashtra State Awards & 2 National Awards for Best Film & Best Director. The movie scribbles a perfect guide for the young aspiring politicians. The twists and turns that high profile political rooms observe is perfectly depicted in "Sinhasan".

My take on Movie: -

This is a story of greed, fear and struggle for survival. A story of those, who do anything for their ambitions or go to any extent for mere survival. The story of those, who struggle all along their lives and finally give up when there is no hope to survive for. And also of those, who can see narrow window of opportunity in absolutely hopeless situation and immerge as winners. A power packed political drama with high class direction and screen performances. You rarely get to see a movie like this. A very good story line, high entertainment value and good songs and memorable acting. A must watch movie in my opinion.
- Swapnil B. Walunj (pgp07.swapnilw@spjimr.org)