Damul (1984) :
Brief Review -
OUTSTANDING ! Hands down to Prakash Jha for this Revolutionary and deserving National Award Winner flick. Those were the days, when National film Award juries had correct sense of choosing socially important flicks as winner irrespective of budget and commercial value (with exceptions). After a promising debut Damul was 2nd Directorial of Prakash Jha and it turned out to be One Of His Best Film Ever. I can surely see this film in his Top 3 Films. Damul is about dictatorship of politician and their deliberate attempts to keep lower class people under thier cruel rules in backward rural area. How the revolution begins against this mighty kingdom is all you get to see in the film. The story is absolutely hard-hitting and heart wrenching. Such an important topic needed to be told in early 80s because democratic waves were flowing across the nation then. Prakash Jha wrote and directed this sensitive yet realistically brutal topic with his amazing skills and sent a message to bollywood folks that the change has arrived in typical masala oriented and money making industry. Hats off to his conviction and hats off to the presentation he put on screen. Every scene has details and completeness keeping the realistic touch intact. Every actor portrays the charcter with immense dedication and passion. The hard-hitting world of Prakash Jha didn't need any songs to spoil the realism therefore film doesn't have any song and it helps to keep the grip tight. The climax of the film is truly revolutionary, i could feel the pain and outburst in those screams. It is still vibrating in my mind, such Impact ! Damul is very well balanced art cinema and mainstream cinema so skipping this film is out of the question. Mostly Art lovers skip Mainstream cinema and Mainstream cinema lovers skip Art cinema, but Damul is a Must Watch for both.
RATING - 8/10*
By - #samthebestestt