Satyagraha trailer out: Watch Big B, Ajay Devgn, Kareena take on the system

After the disastrous Himmatwala, it is good to see Ajay Devgn in a serious and composed avatar. If only it was for a little longer than a few minutes in the trailer of Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha. Satyagraha is the latest multi-starrer from Jha’s stable, whose last outing at the box office was Chakravyuh (2012). Jha’s made it his mission to direct socio-political dramas and Satyagraha is no exception. Although it looks like the film was inspired by the popular movements led by Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal, Prakash Jha is steadfastly maintaining this isn’t so. [caption id=“attachment_910377” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] “The film is not based on Anna Hazare and has nothing to do with the movement,” said Jha at the trailer’s launch.“The entire process of satyagraha comes from Gandhi_ji_. Mr Bachchan plays the role of a satyagrahi who believes in truth,” he adds. Satyagraha depicts the uprising of the masses against a corrupt political system. It seems from the trailer that the film is as much about politics as it is about the relationships between the characters. Manoj Bajpai is, yet again, playing a slimy politico. He may be wasted, but at least he delivers his lines in style. In contrast, Arjun Rampal’s UP accent is not quite as convincing, but we’ll forgive him because he’s cute. The film also features Amrita Rao and Kareena Kapoor. Kareena Kapoor is playing a journalist and she’s said that her role model was Barkha Dutt. She doesn’t seem to have taken any notes from Dutt’s reportage, however, if we are to judge from the way Kapoor actively joins the protests instead of reporting them. She gets hosed by water canons, sits at candle-lit vigils and manages to look lovely, no matter what the context. The hero of the film is Devgn, whose character returns to a place called Ramnagar and when his conscience is awakened, he joins the locals. There seems to be an initial hostility between him and Arjun Rampal, who plays a strongman. They join forces soon enough against a corrupt bureaucracy and political establishment. Their spiritual leader is Bachchan’s character, who is seen lying on a manch, clearly on hunger strike. His followers, including Devgn, Rampal and Kapoor, surround him and sing bhajans in solidarity. Regardless of what Jha says, it’s impossible to not recall Anna Hazare’s hunger strikes while watching those scenes. Produced by UTV Motion Pictures, the film releases in cinemas on August 23, 2013. Watch the trailer of the film here: