Cast: Abhimanyu Singh, Ravi Kishan, Sandeepa Dhar, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra, Akhilendra Mishra
Director: Manoj Tewari
Rating: * * ½
Runtime: 118 mins
An ‘actor’ strong cast raises false expectations from this ‘Global Baba’- an expose of sorts that hopes to take the fight for religion to a far more puritan realm.
A dreaded criminal Chillam Pehelwan (Abhimanyu Singh) escapes from an encounter by ace cop Jacob (Ravi Kishan) , falls into a gorge and finds himself a new life on the other side of it. Treated for his bullet wounds by Naga sages he gains renewed vigor and a former criminal colleague, now transformed as Mouni baba (Pankaj Tripathi) and together they come up with a plan to fool the gullible citizens of the small town they plan to call their home. Burnt by Political bosses who found him disposable, Chillam Pehelwan transforms himself into Global Baba and sets himself up in the style and wealth associated with Global Godmen. His power is such that politicians fear to cross him while they pay obeisance to his power in the hopes of garnering the religious vote. Jacob smells something fishy and keeps an eye on the Baba’s shenanigans even orchestrating a plan to nullify his powers but Global baba is not one to be caught napping and he turns it head on to leave Jacob and his top Political bosses burnt and with no way out other than a final climactic confrontation. The film is left open-ended probably in the hope that audience will lap it up and open up a window for a sequel.
But that doesn’t seem very likely because there’s nothing new or creative on show here. It’s all been done before maybe not as a principal storyline but definitely it’s passé. While the top-lining of the ‘Fake Godman’ may draw parallels to current face-offs between Godmen and judiciary, it’s not a deep or in-depth assay that could validate that affect. Pankaj Tripathi’s superb comic timing and Sanjay Mishra’s earnestness allow for deeper ingratiation. Abhimanyu Singh, Ravi Kishan, Sandeepa Dhar, Akhilendra Mishra work in earnestness into their craft too but the overall effect is not quite compelling. It’s the overall tone that does the film in. While Tripathi’s Mouni Baba is constantly spoofing the rest of the film is not. The semi-serious tone adopted by the film maker doesn’t allow for pungent satirical effect and that’s a pity really!
