"Pratighaat" portrays a city that is terrified of a mobster named Kali who is under the shelter of police and politics. No one can stand against his fury. A young lady fights for this against her family's will and job. On this backdrop, the film tries to raise a voice on patriotism and politics.
The story is pretty exaggerated and is full of gore and violence. But the story stands for symbolism to the increasing violence, crimes in the city for which the film deserves an attention. Well, I won't say the film goes for a suitable answer by the end; but the story telling is quite remarkable in the film and the treatment is surprisingly different from the 80s movies.
The film has a rawness and keeps you disturbed for most of the time. Perhaps the content won't be suitable to be watched with family. It manages to grip and comes close to an intense thriller. The special mention needs to go to the powerful performances given by Sujata Mehta and Rohini Hattangadi in their central roles. Besides, it would be unfair not to mention Nana Patekar in his earlier yet one of his best performances. Most of his dialogues make a satire to the current politics. Despite a non salable cast, the film manages to grip. Overall, the film raises the voices against the increasing crime and violence in the country and hints the unwillingness of the law and order to terminate it.
Anyway, I have a reservation for this movie; and it's the lack of reality to the story which views the story in a fairy land where only a single mobster has the power to terrify the whole city with his fury. Perhaps the law and order of a city at present may not be that lame as portrayed in the film. Had the story been a bit real to life, "Pratighaat" would have been a remarkable film to be remembered for years. For a general watch, the film is gripping, intense and disturbing that you may not want to miss.
Rating: 2 stars out of 4
