Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

kabeer-who Shakespeare would be proudly smiling in his grave as Vishal Bhardwaj moves the greatest tragedy Macbeth to Mumbai's underworld. However, the queens, the witches and the swords are replaces by adulterous mistresses, corrupt cops and flying bullets. Unlike other Bollywood movies Maqbool does not show people dancing around trees or snow clad mountains. It definitely exceeds the defined lines of formula based commercial cinema with significant reverence. The confident screenplay keeps your attention right from the beginning not releasing you until the last reels have flashed.Bhardwaj conveys a tantalizing tale about an ageing don, Abbaji (Pankaj Kapur). Maqbool (Irrfan Khan) is the trusted right hand man of Abbaji. The two corrupt cops Pandit and Purohit (Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri) are shown as always predicting the future. In one such case they hint Maqbool that he will one day take over Abbaji's position. Thus, the seeds of ambition and jealousy are sown. Nimmi (Tabu), Abbaji's young mistress has a dangerous secret liaison with Maqbool. Nimmi teases and taunts Maqbool over his position and his non-hierarchical status. This gives way to a blood soaked drama. Nimmi urges Maqbool to murder Abbaji and take his position both in the hierarchy and her bed. For love and power, Maqbool murders Abbaji not knowing that untold devastation lies ahead. While everyone suspects Maqbool of foulplay, no one has the nerve to implicate him. Drowning in guilt, Maqbool as well as Nimmi, start hallucinating, imagine hypothetical drops of blood on their bed, the wall and even see spectres of the victims of their passion. Maqbool tries each and every source to reconcile, but does not work. And murder begets murder.Humour has been used very occasionally but in an extremely well concealed manner. Touches of humour, in the first half show Abbaji's power over his kingdom. But, at the same time it also shows his love for his men and his much feared presence.Abbaji played by Pankaj Kapur is a symbol of power. Kapur making a comeback to the big screen is seen in a tour de performance. Personally, this is one of the best performances by an actor in many years. His posture and well conceived posterior facial structure hold true to the character of Abbaji. At times, he reminds us of Marlon Brando in Godfather. Irrfan Khan playing Maqbool takes us on an aesthetic ride, at times to the realms of reality. From Maqbool's over vaulting ambition dominating his conscience to his love n lust for his lady has been shown with some epitomizing ease. Watch Irrfan in the last flashes of Maqbool breaking into moments of nothingness. Tabu playing Abbaji's mistress coming from Lucknow is seen in a dark role for the first time. Her sparkling performance manages to strike a balance between passion and hysteria. Both love and angst are a part of Nimmi shown simultaneously and that too quite incredibly. Undoubtedly, Tabu is one of the finest actresses of her generation.Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri sparkle with a scintillating performance of two corrupt cops. Both in extremely witty performances are shown as playing games with both the underworld as well as the police force. They are the Bhardwajian counterparts to the three witches of Macbeth. They predict the future and are always eager to maintain 'Shakti Ka Santulan'. They constantly induce in Maqbool the ambition to rule, to conquer. They incult humour in every scene constantly reminding us of the dark side of the tale.The screenplay by Bhardwaj and Abbas Tyrewala weaves your mind with some exhilarating scenes. However, towards the end Maqbool's much expected death is dragged along and at this part the screenplay goes weak. The striking dialogues by Bhardwaj himself gives a soul to the movie, providing it a typical Bhendi bazaar touch. Bhardwaj has craftily managed to maintain the poetic reverence of each and every scene. Some of the shots are lyrical; even the violence is aesthetically treated and is never gratuitous. Abbaji's house creates a timeless and mysterious feel. However, cinematographer Hemant Chaturvedi's use of stark colours adds to the foreboding. Bhardwaj himself is the music director. Daler Mehndi for the first time does not sound like a squeaky rhetoric radio in his rendering of the Rubaru number. Maqbool is definitely a stroke of genius. There have been man interesting yet unreal trials on the underworld on screen like Satya, Vaastav, Company but this movie goes beyond gangwars, corruption, dons, policemen, politicians. Maqbool takes an overwhelming leap into the psyche of the protagonists, riveting out what guilt and its denial does to them. Impermeable, heavy and dark ; Maqbool is highly recommended cinema.

maqbool I saw this movie a long time ago and I saw it again recently, cant get enough of how amazing this movie is. A Hindi movie worthy of being screened at every internatinoal film festival, in fact it was screened at various festivals and was appreciated.The list of the talented starcast is huge, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Tabu & last but certainly not the least, Irrfan Khan(playing the title role of Maqbool).Story is about an underworld side kick who starts to have an inner conflict and where he has to make a decision and choose between loyalty and deceit, all because of a woman who is the mistress of the underworld gang leader Abbaji (played to perfection by Pankaj Kapur).Performances, lines, screenplay, background score and editing, cinematography are 1st rate.

pammoo After about coming across Maqbool on the posters and in stores, I finally got to see this epic movie in 2005. This movie is an epitome of Indian cinema and not Bollywood as people conveniently believe.This movie is very special to me as I could empathize with the protagonist, Maqbool, and his own struggle in life to have an identity. I'm 26 and all my life, I have been ahead in my thinking and liked more serious stuff at a very young age. I never found any other movie that touched my emotions so much not because of it's story but because it was like my own life struggle to find an identity. I had to cry at the end of the movie!! Maqbool is every man's struggle and not just a gangster movie. Top Indian actors like Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah play cameos in this movie. National School of Drama (NSD) has produced more actors like Irfan Khan(Maqbool) and Pankaj Kapur(. It would be wrong to compare this as another Godfather as the story line is different. Music is very contemporary and has all the elements of rich poetry and ancient Sufi aura. The beauty of this movie lies in the fact that how Hindus and Muslims co-exist for a survival. And the fact that time and again Hindu actors are made Muslims in the movies is also an indication of how India functions today. Maqbool has some of the most controversial questions that Hindus and Muslims ask even today in India and elsewhere. If you really want to see Indian gangster movies, you should watch movies made my director Ram Gopal Verma. Company, D, Sarkar, Ab thak Chappan, Ek Hasina Thi are all gangster thrillers.

Akanshima Agarwal Yes!yes! that it is.The film came as a fresh breeze of air when Hindi cinema is experimenting with all sort of stuff.With probably one of the greatest star cast in the world ; the film is worth spending a premium.People who neglect the role of Hindi cinema in world entertainment or who don't like Hindi cinema at all should look at this film.The plot goes as follows Abbaji ( Pankaj Kapoor ) the underworld kingpin of Mumbai has two faithfuls helping him in his business Maqbool ( Irfan Khan )and Kaka ( Piyush Mishra ).Nimmi ( Tabu ) Abbaji's younger wife loves Maqbool and wants him to take the place of aging Abbaji.One day on Abbaji's daughter Sammera's ( Mausami ) wedding to Kaka's son Guddu ( Ajay Gehi ) Maqbool and Nimmi secretly kill Abbaji.The throne of Abbaji is open whom Maqbool is intent on occupying with hook or crook.The two inspectors Purohit ( Nasseruddin Shah ) and Pandit ( Om Puri ) serve as bribed workers to this family. All an all a powerful five star.Hats up ! to Vishal Bhardwaj who won accolades from Karan Johar , Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan for this film.