Producer: Arindam Chaudhuri

Director: Rituparno Ghosh

Writer: Rituparno Ghosh, Utpal Dutt

Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal, Shefali Shah, Jisshu Sengupta

Rating: ***

Plot: A retired Shakespearean actor is wooed to feature in a film by a filmmaker.

Verdict: An engrossing tale that leaves you asking for more.

Box Office Prospects: For connosieurs of artistic cinema

Creative Quotient:

Inspired by Utpal Dutt's Bangla play Ajker Shahenshah, the cinematic adaptation by Rituparno Ghosh is largely engaging and engrossing. This is a film within a film and it opens on the eve of the premiere of Siddharth's (Arjun) art film. For strange reasons, Shabnam (Preity), the heroine of the film, skips the show and goes visiting her ailing co-star Harry (Bachchan) at his quaint bungalow while the director remains distant, indifferent.

Through a series of flashbacks it transpires that Harry, the ageing star is a retired Shakespearean actor and the forceful filmmaker Siddharth had placated him into starring in his film. Later, during the outdoor schedule of the film, Harry strikes a chord with Shabnam and they end up becoming close friends.

But when the theatre actor tries to get too realistic for the tragic climax of the film, he meets with a crippling accident. The story unfolds like a thriller, never mind the lack of pace though. It keeps you guessing. If only the writer had built up Harry's bonhomie with Shabnam some more and also perhaps thrown more light on the enigmatic filmmaker.

But then, credit is due to Ghosh for keeping the viewer in anticipation of more drama! The screenplay is deceptively seductive. A triumphal writing feat for Ghosh as he captures the growing bond between the two creative, eccentrics - Harry and Siddharth. Amusing as well as endearing.

Technical Expertise:

When Mr Bachchan interacted with the Indian Express scribes last year during our Ideas Exchange programme, he had expressed his regret over "not supporting the artistic cinema" while he ruled the commercial cinema, it is evident that with The Last Lear he's making amends and aplenty. He delivers those pedantic Shakespearean dialogues with such flourish that the effect accentuates the ensuing melodrama. The silver hair-do, flowing gown and the bombastic mannerisms of a theatrical virtuoso, Bachchan pulls it all off with characteristic elan.

Arjun Rampal's portrays the eccentricities of a filmmaker ever so realistically; he delivers a brave, mature performance. Preity is indeed a revelation in the film, she is effortlessly into her part of a movie star with a troubled personal life. Shefali Shah as Bachchan's partner conveys the petulance of the character very convincingly. Indeed, Ghosh has his cast woven well into the narrative.

Abhik Mukhopadhyay's cinematography conjures up the mood of the moment and Arghya Kamal Mitra keeps the story flowing fluidly through his proficient editing. The art director also deserves kudos for adding local flavours to the proceedings. It's a film to be patronised and cherished and not analysed.