Warning: Contain Spoilers
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A lower-middle age house in the Mumbai Suburb of Dombivli, an alarm rings in the morning, the household goes into a frenzy of activities where the man of the house, Madhav Shreedhar Apte gets ready for work, goes to work travelling in the Mumbai Locals, works and then comes back in the evening, feeds his young daughter and then goes to sleep. The next morning the same routine starts again, and the next morning.
The Marathi movie “Dombivli Fast” (DF)starts with the above routine scene about a middle class home but ends with the most under-rated climax of all, simple yet hard-hitting.
Madhav Apte is a common man with strong principles. He has strong values and he does not believe in bending any rules for anybody, even when the future of his children is involved. He fights with people around when he sees injustice and corruption, which include his colleagues, his boss, the shop keepers, man who delivers water in a water tanker, school principal and even his wife. His principals and his behavior is a cause of fights between his wife and him. She is tired of only preaching of changing the world but not doing anything about it.
He is pushed to a corner by everybody who finds his policy of righted ness too difficult to handle and one day he snaps. He goes on a rampage trying to do right, everything that goes against his principal and then starts a mayhem on the street of Mumbai, ultimately ending in a tragic climax.
The story is very similar to Michael Douglas’s starrer “Falling Down” but DF stands out because of good acting and brilliant direction. There are many characters in the movie but the three main characters are Madhav Apte, His wife and a police Inspector.
Madhav Apte who is frustrated by the system and the people around. His wife. Alka who is initially frustrated by her husband’s behavior toward the system and is ready to change to fit into the world and later when she is worried about her husband being shot by the police. The Police Inspector, Subhas Anasphure who is again frustrated by the system but understands that he is the system. The story moves forward through the eyes of these three characters where each reflects and questions their own belief and principles.
Madhav Apte tries to do whatever he sees wrong but is surprised to see that the very people he tries to help are the people who are pulling him down. A telling scene is when he tries to help an old couple in a hospital and to his horror finds that the couple do not approve of his threatening ways even though he is right.
The police meanwhile are clueless and try to stop his rampage. The rest of the story is how Madhav Apte meets his end and in turn trying to correct everything that is wrong with the world.
Directed by Nishikant Kamat makes his directorial debut with this movie. He is the same person who wrote the screenplay for Neha Dupia’s skin flick “Julie”. He handles the thriller very well. The directors excels in the movie. He also has written the screenplay for the movie. He is also directing Madhavan in the Tamil flick “Evano Oruvan” which is a remake of Dombivli Fast set in Chennai. Nishikant Kamat made TV serials before he directed films.
Shilpa Tulaskar plays Alka Apte, Madhav Apte’s wife. She is a veteran of Marathi Movies and has acted in many Marathi movies and serials and plays. She gives a good performance of a frustrated wife. The transformation into a scared woman whose husband is on a rampage is also worth watching, Madhav Apte is the main protagonist of the film but Alka is the one who entices him to go on a rampage. She had to really be the nagging wife and she does excel in that.
Sandesh Jadhav is the Police inspector Subas Anasphure who is after Madhav Apte. I haven’t seen him in any movie and it seems he was very active on the Marathi theatre scene. He has a deep voice which commands authority and is so perfect in the role. He understands that whatever Madhav Apte is doing is the correct action but illegal and is tied to the system. He does not want to make Madhav Apte a martyr but hopes that people do make him one. Sandesh Jadhav has played his part very well.
Finally coming to the main character, Madhav Apte, played by Sandeep Kulkarni. I really had to find who Sandeep Kulkarni was before watching the movie and there is no info available about him on the internet. Sandeep Kulkarni has acted in quite a number of plays, serials and movies. He had played a doctor in “Shwaas” Here he plays the frustrated Madhav Apte who is strong on his principles but his friends, family and colleague always want to deter him from the path. Looking at the movie, it is difficult to imagine any other actor in Marathi cinema who could have done the same role. Watch him talking to the deaf and dumb boy on the footpath venting out his frustration. It was brilliant.
Dombivli Fast can be described as a sober version of Sunny Deol’s “Ghayal” without the happy ending and Sunny Deol’s he-manism. One is forced to look at himself after seeing the movie. It does not dwell into stuff like country and love for the country which normally happens in most of these movies but at the very structure of morality on which any society is based. Madhav Apte, his wife or the inspector looks at morality in their own way and according to their convenience,
The inspector also accepts bribe and is not shown as a righteous one. When he asks his wife would she had managed to run the house on his salary, she answers a flat “No”. They both know that it is wrong but carry on for luxuries rather than basic survival.
The politicians, the shopkeeper, the school principal wants to earn more not for survival but for the luxuries of life.
The most telling scene of the movie which summarizes the whole movie is the climax when Madhav Apte is shot in the train. An injured Madhav Apte asks the Inspector
Ayushya gela ithe Chaavtya seat var basun, jara khidki var basu?
(Whole Life I spent on the fourth seat, can i seat on the window seat for sometime. )
Those few words of Madhav Apte tells the story of middle class Indian. What each Indian has is what he terms the fourth seat, means to just scrap through life. What he desires is the Windows seat, a chance to live a better life without compromising on their principle.
The movie forces you to reflect back on us and as the inspector said to look hard at our self in the mirror to answer a simple question
Is Madhav apte really guilty?
Rating: 9/10
Hey Punds,
he is the guy from Shwaas and he was also in Traffic Signal. I like him as a n actor. My hubby wil njoy this movie, altho i was raised in Mumbai, i am not a veteran in Marathi but my hubby has maharashtrian influence on him and watching him speak marathi several ask if he is a maharashtrian 🙂
Wow. Great movie. And a very well written review !
I did ask you in Nov-06 (on your MOVIES page) if you had a got a chance to see this movie. And I am glad that you did, and glad that you gave us this nice review.
Reading your line about “Ayushya gela ithe Chaavtya seat var basun, jara khidki var basu” – I can actually feel the emotional tug in the scene.
I am still trying to see if I can get hold of ‘DF’ somewhere 🙂 If not, I will settle for its Tamil version when it comes out (thanks for the info on that too 🙂
– cheers, Taks
Yes Iengar Chick.
He is the same doctor in Shwaas. I haven’t seen Traffic Signal yet. Although I don’t know south indian language, I watch south indian movies. Ofocourse with subtitles.
Taks
Thanks
yes that was the best scene in the whole movie. Makes your hair stand up. I hope you get it and if you dont understand marathi probably with english subtitles.
-Punds
But Punds, Traffic Signal is a hindi movie :-$
btw, my url has changed 😛
http://tambramred.blogspot.com
kharach gelya kahi divsat mrathi movies
kahi tari changlya vicharani phude yet aahet.
ti vel lamb nahi jeva preshak parat marathi movie
sathi thetare kade valtil.
DF ek uttam namuna aahe mumbaichya jeevnacha..
every mumbaikar shuld watch tht film.
Hi punds,
Why it took u almost one year to write review of such a brilliant movie.But…der se aaye par durust aaye. Yes, DF is the movie to watch. It has won awards in almost all international film festivals.But I am really sorry to say that our media is not that supportive to marathi cinema. They can fill pages and pages to praise masala bollywood flicks but no time to write few words for awrd winning movies.They try to induce success artficially for their favourites.And thats why they take bangla flicks like CHOKHER BAALI as their products and spread all their words all over the page and try to sale it as the brilliant cinema but could not appreciate the worth of marathi cinema in their own city.It is really frustrating to see english media not supporting to the real good movies……..CHAL CHAD YAAR,,AISE MEDIA KO TO HUMM PHA…PE MARTE HAI.
Thanks for your really really nice review, Punds.
BA
You are so right. DF shows Mumbai life from the eyes of a normal Mumbaikar.
Dharmendra
I am not in India and it takes me ages to find a movie, especially Marathi movies. I want to see another Marathi movie like “Restaurant” and “Limited Manuski” but cannot find it on the net.
You are true about the media not supporting Marathi cinema. When I search for Marathi movies review, I find my blog as the only source of review for some marathi Movies (e.g. Aga Bai Arechya). Even the Blogsphere do not have Marathi Movies reviews. Sad but true! 😦
-Punds
plz give me invitation . in desitotorment
btw where are u located in the world ..and how many years? studying or working?….u descrbed life in mumbai chawl in ur recent post. i liked that. mumbaitlya kuthlya bhaagat tuzi chaal aahe? i spent 20 yrs of my life in girgaon chawl and i really identified what u have written.
Dharmendra
I am currently working in Amsterdam since last 2 years. I live in MHB colony in borivali. Girgaon had that typical chawl with Ganesh utsav and dahi handi na?
-Punds
Agdi barobar Punds…pan sadhya dombivlit asto.Your short stories are nice and effective.I read two stories..PAPA TUM GHAR AANA and other one resembling Ratnakar matkari’s style.good punds keep it up. BTW Mi sudha lihito ,..pan ekankika , one act plays in marathi. We have small theatre group in mumbai called GULZAR.
Mag India madhe parat yenar ki tikdech….parat aalas tar naakich mazya prayogala invite karin..
keep in touch punds..( wat is real name buddy?)
MITRANO,
MALA HI MOVIE KHUP AAVADLI KARAN HYA MOVIE VARUN
EK SHIKAYLA MILTE KI MARATHI MANUS EKDA KA BHADAKLA
TAR TO PURN SAMAJALA KAHI TARI DHADA SHIKAU SHAKTO
PAN KHAROKHAR KONI KAHI CHAGLE KARAYALA NIGALA TAR
KAHI MARATHI MANSECH TYALA VEDYAT KADHTAT YAAR
HA PICTURE BAGHUN PAN KONA MADHE SUDHARNA HOT NAHI
FAQT PAISE DEWUN PICTURE BAGHAYCHA MHANUN PICTURE
BAGHATAT AANI DUSRYA DIWSHI AAHE TASHI LIFE SURU RAHTE
KON DUSRYACH VICHAR KARAT NAHI DUSRA MARTOY TAR MARUN
DE MI KASHALA MADHE PADU HA VICHAR KARTAT AASE EKTARFI
VICHAR KARNARYA MANSANA AAPAN MARATHI MANUS NAHI MHANU
SHAKAT AARE AAPNCH JAR AASHE VAGLO TAR KONI PAN AAPALYAVAR
DHAVUN YEYEL KIVA AAPLYALA MARHAN KAREL BAGHA VICHAR
KARA SWATALA BADLUN BAGA HA AAPLA MAHARASHTRA AAPN
EKTRA YEUN KHUP SUNDER BANVU SHAKTO FAQT YALA EKTECHI
GARAJ AAHE .
JAI MAHARASHTRA
MAZA E-MAIL ID atulgavandi@yahoo.com
[…] climax quote by Inspector Subas Anasphure in the Marathi movie, “Dombivli Fast“. Simple yet hard […]
Dombivili Fast is a cinematic excellence.The performance by lead actor Sandeep Kulkarni is brilliant.He rules the movie with his excellent facial expressions.
The frustation of a common man and his fight all odds is well depicted in the movie.It sends a strong message in society to fight for justice.Its high time we raise our voice against corruption.
Such movies should be given their position is society.It was better option even than Rang De Basanti.Only RDB was a much hyped movie.But it derives inspiration from DF.
how can watch this movie
plz
Now I am thinking When was the last time I thought so deeply abt that movie.I remember I didnt talk to anyone for an hour or so after watching that movie.I can say this is what I really felt that day.You are a magician friend.
Keep it up!!!
Very nice movie, was touched by the climax scene about the fourth seat.
For the people who loves watching marathi movies including DF, I think “apalimarathi” is the best site
http://www.apalimarathi.com/
[…] and it succeeds to be heartwarming and hopeful. After the successful and brilliant, “Dombivli Fast” Director Nishikant Kamat comes back with another winner. Giving two brilliant movies back to […]
Hi,
ha picture pahun mala anand jhala. baryach divsani changla chitrapat pahayala milala.
chandu
Jay Maharashtra,
ha chitrapat pahun mala anand jhala. karan baryach divsani 1 changla chitrapat pahayla milala.
chandu,
Belgaum.
[…] movie has some good actors including Sandeep Kulkarni who excelled in “Dombivli Fast“. Here too, he delivers as Mohit, the nephew of the politician who opposes his uncle’s […]
Hi, I Really like this movie, what a strory and performance by Sandeep Kulkarni. Sandeep Kulkarni got best actor award for this movie in one of the International Film festival, but media had never said a one word to appreciate him.
I hate this stupid media, they only discuss about bollywood stupid movies which have super duper flop.
Hi, I Really like this movie, what a strory and performance by Sandeep Kulkarni. Sandeep Kulkarni got best actor award for this movie in one of the International Film festival, but media had never said a one word to appreciate him.
I hate this stupid media, they only discuss about bollywood stupid movies which have stupid diologes and super duper flop.
खळाळत्या जीवनाचा निर्झर म्हणजे डोंबिवली
मनातल्या माणुसकीचा पाझर म्हणजे डोंबिवली ||१||
रेती बंदर चा वारा म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् थंडीत घामाच्या धारा म्हणजे डोंबिवली
फडके रोड वरची तरुणाईची मस्ती म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् Modern cafe च्या जेवणा नंतरची सुस्ती म्हणजे डोंबिवली ||२||
प्रेमजीभाई मेंशन , ५२ चाळ म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् mall च्या नावाखाली marriage hall म्हणजे डोंबिवली
फूटपाथवरची लल्लन दुबे ची बाज म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् रामनगर , टिळकनगर चा पुणेरी बाज म्हणजे डोंबिवली ||३||
मुंबई च्या आलीशान गालीच्या पुढे टाकलेलं सरकारी घोंगड म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् “लाथ मारीन तीथे पानी काढीन ” म्हननारं बाला लोकांचा गाव म्हणजे डोंबिवली
सकाळ – संध्याकाळ रेलवे तली चौथी सीट म्हणजे डोंबिवली
अन् ८ तास load shading च्या अंधारातली धीट डोंबिवली ||४||
ठाकुर चा वडा-पाँव अन मून-मून ची मीसल खाणारी …झणझणीत डोंबिवली
अन १० वी – १२ वी मध्ये यश मिळवणारी ….दणदणीत डोंबिवली
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तरी आनंदाने आनी गर्दी ने फुललेली ठाणे जील्ह्याची शान म्हणजे डोम्बीवली