Mujib: The Making of A Nation review: Shyam Benegal's film is well-intended but falters too much

There is a lot of content available on the premiers of India and Pakistan- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ali Jinnah. In history books, in cinema- the incidents that led to the partition, the inception of Pakistan and the Hindu-Muslim riots that took place during the partition have been well documented in cinema over the years. While the history of these two countries of the subcontinent is known to most, the third country- also a by-product of the 1947 Partition has been overlooked especially in cinema. Bangladesh's history is also known to many especially how it took India's help in declaring itself free and sovereign in 1971, yet its history and its leaders are not known to many. Which is why Shyam Benegal's new film Mujib: The Making of A Nation serves as a perfect refresher of history for a generation who may not know about the country's dynamic leader, first President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Known as the father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib's contribution in the formation of the country is unsurmountable. And available on the internet widely if one looks for it. Benegal's film stars popular Bangladeshi actor Arifin Shuvoo as the leader and captures the life of Mujib from his high school days to his days in student politics and highlights the incidents and causes that led to East Pakistan's demanded to break away from West Pakistan.

With a linear narrative and Mujib's wife Renu (Nusrat Imrose Tisha) playing the narrator, the nearly three-hour film tries to pack in a lot of Bangladesh history. The linear narrative almost spills out like a Wikipedia page, chronicling years of Mujib's struggle and his passion to see a free, sovereign Bangladesh. Since the film is backed by both the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation and the National Film Development Corporation of India, it obviously resorts to highlighting India's positive role in being the ally during the 1971 war. It also spares no moment to bash Pakistan in more ways than one.

Written by Atul Tiwari, and Shama Zaidi the film tries to capture a whole lot of events. From Mujib's first encounter with his political mentor Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy (Tauquir Ahmed) to his close association with Fazlul Haq, whom he considered a father figure to the formation of the Awami League, the Partition, Mujib's innumerable visits to the jail, his rise in politics, Jinnah and Bhutto's role in Bangladesh, his growing family - all are stuffed in the film - making the narrative overcrowded with characters and slightly daunting to watch.

It also doesn't help that apart from the lead actors, every supporting actor seems to overreact and overact. The actor who plays the younger brother to the lead looks older than him, there is just a lot of melodrama and the screenplay is shoddy and looks dated. The lead, Arifin Shuvoo, with prosthetics and a wig delivers well to his part. I am from a generation who has never watched the real Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and heard his speeches. Only saw his pictures and heard of his greatness. For me, Arifin's performance seems genuine and praiseworthy and he alone shoulders the film well. His wife Renu, played by Tisha is also credible in her performance as a wife who is the anchor of Mujib's life. In fact, the film showcases the couple's friendship and love in detail with him always finding his way to her for emotional support while she plays the anchor in his otherwise tumultuous life.

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