The Last Lear woos the land of Shakespeare 
By Fuad Omar, October 19, 2007 - 09:39 IST
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Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear received a rapturous response at the London Film Festival where it was playing alongside the best of world cinema and was showcased to some of the movers and shakers from Hollywood, British and European cinema.
Amitabh Bachchan mesmerises as an aged thespian that spends his life looking back on his stage career and trying to better his last performance. His portrayed execution of Harish, an actor smothered by his own confidence and self-worth to the extreme that his greatest competition is himself, has drawn rave reviews from critics and fans alike. He has been compared with and referenced in the same breath as British Shakespearean stalwarts such as Sir Ian Mckellen and Patrick Stewart, both of which are currently in London’s Theatreland portraying King Lear and Macbeth respectively to excellent reviews. A feat previously unheard of and one that has left an indelible mark on the heart of London’s West End causing a stir among actors and directors alike.
Running to packed gala screenings, The Last Lear has garnered much praise as a “contemporary example of Indian cinema at its finest” with most of the accolades falling on Amitabh Bachchan’s performance and the chemistry between his character and that of Siddarth, essayed by Arjun Rampal, in a role that only further cements his acting credentials and scoffs at critics who have previously dismissed his talent.
As an obsessed film director driven by perfection, Rampal underplays his role perfectly, becoming the Yin to Bachchan’s Yang creating the balance that makes The Last Lear an enjoyable and educational film experience. Even the first shot of Rampal bathed in the lights of his rushes with the white of his eyes flickering and fading in sync with the reflection of his creation is sheer stylised brilliance.
The cinematography, direction and dialogues have all been commended with the only criticism coming from a largely European audience who found the subtitles distracting as the words spoken were clear and had a large impact. Shefali Shah also enjoyed lavish praise as did the presentation of the film.
With a thought-provoking glimpse into the narcissist world of acting, the obsessive compulsive side of filmmaking and the all important emphasis on an artiste’s previous performance, The Last Lear has all the markings of a cult film that will remain etched in the land of Shakespeare’s mind forever.
The film goes on general release in December.
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Amitabh to play King Lear
