This is what I call a perfect movie. Natsamrat is a must watch movie. Nana Patekar proves yet again that not only is he an actor par excellence, but also he has a power to totally grip you till the end of his films. His performance is so brutally honest, that it will tear your heart into pieces as you sit transfixed, watching him with rapt attention. Just as Nana's Ganpatrao says in the movie, a true skill of any actor is not to let his viewer get distracted by a packet of snacks while watching him on stage. Nana does the exact same thing to you. It is not like this actor has not impressed us with his stage or screen presence before. But this film is different. Simply, because it is just so him. Nana does it with panache and adds value complete with some wonderful layers to the character in his own trademark style. Here is why you must start your New Year with his wonderful, wonderful movie. For those who don't know, Natsamrat is a cinematic adaptation from V V Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj's) iconic play by the same name. Natsamrat essayed by Nana is a celebrated veteran Shakespearean theatre artiste who is struggling to negotiate with the harsh realities of life once his fame begins to fade away. This character is based on Shakespeare's King Lear. Vikram Gokhale is Nana's companion, confidante and also a competitor. Together, they rule the theatre world before they age and decide to retire gracefully. The film deals with an actor's confusion of the whole 'To Be or Not To Be' question which life poses before him after his glory fades. It is essentially about the performer lurking in every retired actor who just can't enough of the stage and his audience. It is also about the better half and family of such an actor who in Medha Manjrekar's (who plays Nana's on screen wife in the movie) words, "Don't leave theatre, but get it to their homes and lives." The film is also mainly about the ruthless society we reside in. Natsamrat on its own is a powerfully written play. Nana's rendition of Kusumagraj's heart wrenching soliloquies will make you cry but will your heart will feel light and deliriously content, I guarantee. This film is intense and extremely honest but it has its light moments. Moments which will make you laugh hysterically but will sometimes leave a sombre aftertaste. Interactions between Nana and Vikram Gokhale are beyond fabulous. They are wry, sarcastic and funny as hell. Though the focus is on Nana, all the supporting actors play their part very well. An actor can put act into his performance superbly well only he completely forgets himself in front of the camera and becomes one with the character he plays. Nana does exactly that. We forget Nana Patekar while watching him playing the Natsamrat. And, that's the success of any actor. Story, screenplay, background score, cinematography, acting and direction everything is superb. One should not miss this unforgettable movie experience.
Review of Natsamrat
