The Trailer of Anubhav Sinha’s Mulk is unlike anything he has done before. Its lack of ‘political correctness’ (defending the Indian Muslim’s right to peaceful co-existence is almost consideted indefensible these days) is so apt, and the theme of a Muslim family being hounded after the son is accused of terrorism—is so relevant to today’s times, we wonder how no one thought of doing this before.
The trailer of Mulk hides nothing. It lays out all the cards on the table with a heart-numbing scrupulosity. We know from the trailer that Praetik Babbar (who is gradually emerging with a screen image as the rebellious over-aged delinquent) is the son of a Muslim family who stands accused of terror activities.
The narrative in the sharply cut trailer spans a traumatic arc showing the accused’s family being hounded and vilified as Pakistani anti-nationals. It’s a well-known narrative, the other side of the Hindutva refrain. The narrative is then shown shifting focus from the domestic to the legal. A courtroom drama ensues, with Tapsee Pannu and Ashutosh Rana battling it out for and against the terror-accused.
What stands out for me in this harrowing tale of a community under scrutiny for the trespasses of a few members of that community, is a shot showing the Muslim patriarch walking with dignity while a cow saunters behind him.
The casualness of the comment that the shot makes is something to hold on to as we wait for Mulk to be released on 3 August.
The trailer shows a cast hellbent on delivering the right blueprint for a film where the drama is not dependent the director’s derringdo. Clearly Mulk belongs to Rishi Kapoor. As he blends into his character once again I wondered if there is anything Rishi can’t do.
