Visionaries of Cinema

His last film ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns’ that released early this year left us speechless. He is back with another power-packed film titled ‘Bullett Raja’ starring Sonakshi Sinha and Saif Ali Khan. On the occasion of its release, we’d like to throw light on how Tigmanshu Dhulia has been getting it right with each film. We’re glad that directors with such unique filmmaking styles are finally getting the forefront. The face of Indian cinema is changing, Tigmanshu being one of the most important contributors.

Ferocity  

© TigmanshuDhuliafilms 

No man in a Tigmanshu Dhulia film is passive. Whether right or wrong, honest or distorted, every single person has a lion’s heart. The characters in ‘Charas’ don’t think twice before taking life-altering risks, including the women in the film. Mahie Gill plays the stay at home alcoholic wife to Jimmy Shergill in ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster’ but doesn’t bat an eyelid before pulling the pistol trigger. When she decides to do something, there is no stopping her. Bedding his Saheb’s wife, Randeep Hooda is daringly unapologetic. So is Mahie Gill about choosing Saheb over him. It was probably Paan Singh Tomar’s fearlessness and valour that inspired Tigmanshu to make a film on his life. There are hundreds of people who get tricked and looted off their properties but only a few fierce ones have what it takes to be a man as fearless and ferocious as Paan Singh. In Tigmanshu’s world, there is no place for cowardliness. There is no right and wrong – only strong and stronger.

Cause Over Impact

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Violence has always been an integral part of Indian films, in some form or the other. While those like Rohit Shetty equate action and violence to exploding cars flying across the screen, Tigmanshu Dhulia begs to differ. Like he recently said in an interview, it is the cause of conflict that matters not its impact. It takes a lot of sensibility as a story teller to differentiate between the two and Tigmanshu gets it right, almost always. Rather than telling us how much a certain character bled in a duel, he focuses on the reasons that led to the duel which makes the action even more impactful. Mahie Gill firing at Randeep Hooda in ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster’ may not be the best action scene in terms of execution but it was still quite hard hitting a moment.

Conflicts & Betrayals

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Nobody is safe in a Tigmanshu Dhulia flick. No, not even if you’re a ‘Saheb’. Bullets can be fired from any corner, at any time. And yet, such over the top violence is always justified. Tigmanshu Dhulia introduces the core conflict in his films in the first few scenes itself. The film steers closer towards the central issue steadily and there is nothing you can do but feel like a part of the scenario, occasionally taking sides. Such is the involvement he creates with audiences. Betrayal is the most common reason of conflict in all his works. Be it Irrfan Khan using Jimmy Shergill as a means to reach Hrishitaa Bhatt in ‘Haasil’, the wife cheating on her husband in ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster’ or Paan Singh’s brother depriving him of his ancestral property in ‘Paan Singh Tomar’, betrayal is what causes conflict in Tigmanshu’s films.

Stories Based In Rustic Small Towns

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The typical village setup in most of his films is as crucial as his characters. City life doesn’t excite him as much as the rustic backdrop of far off villages inspires him. These are the dusty, small towns of Northern India where everyone possesses ‘tamanchas’ and clans are constant rivals, eyeing each other’s property and authority.

The music of his latest film ‘Bullet Raja’ is already creating waves and so are the impressive promos. We hope he delivers another masterpiece this time as well and show and justify the tag of a visionary of Indian cinema.