Film Review: Eklavya - The Royal Guard

Film: Eklavya - The Royal Guard

Producer - Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jimmy Shergil, Boman Irani, Raima Sen.

Rating: 3/5

Eklavya - The Royal Guard revolves around a royal dynasty in contemporary India, an empire that no longer rules and has no kingdom. A contemporary, dramatic action thriller, Eklavya marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra as a director after a hiatus of seven years (after Mission Kashmir). And he’s back with a bigger and better film.

Now with Eklavya, Chopra has all the reasons to hold the scepter for being the man who has started once again the creation of Indian cinema (mind you it is cinema and not a film this time).

Amitabh Bachchan plays the title role (Eklavya) in the film, and is the guard of this family who lives to protect them and the kingdom - Devigarh. Eklavya has spent his entire life serving the royals and closely guarding their secrets but now he's getting old and increasingly blind.

Compromise seems like a term that is non existent for Chopra. Eklavya marks the birth of creating cinema converging with grandeur. From lavish settings to designer costume clad actors; no stone has been left unturned, resulting in fine cinematic experience.

Set in Rajasthan, the plot reveals a shocking occurrence in the royal family. The movie experience commences with the strangulation of the Rani (Sharmila Tagore), who in her last few moments calls out for Eklavya. By her side through this maddening summon, an angry Raja (Boman Irani) strangles her till she can breathe no more. This brings the prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan) back home, just to be handed a letter that discloses a shocking truth that was hidden from him.

  Page 1 of 1