Mani Ratnam teams with Aishwarya Rai, a woman considered by some to be the most beautiful actress of her time, in the Bollywood musical Guru. The film concerns a man, Gurukant Desai, from an average village who, starting from very modest means, attempts to build a successful business in Bombay. His troubled private life includes with his frustrated wife, Sujata, who must adjust to being in a marriage she never really wanted. He must overcome a number of personal and professional problems in
order to fulfill his ambitious dreams of success. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Strongly cast, long-limbed yarn contains some of Ratnam's best stuff in its first half but script weaknesses mar the later going and film's overall impact.
Mani Ratnam's often absorbing Guru is sort of a Bollywood Citizen Kane, a decades-spanning drama with a compelling Abhishek Bachchan as a ruthless Indian business tycoon who refuses to take no for an answer.
Filmmaker Mani Ratnam leavens his trademark politically charged melodrama with a smoking belly dance by sultry Mallika Sherawat and a wet-sari number for the stunning Rai.
The film is a triumph of casting: In a role that is often about the sheer steamrolling force of his character's personality, Abishek Bachchan's attention to detail makes Guru accessible rather than intimidating, admirable but also plausible.
Even if you have never heard of [Dhirubhai] Ambani or know little about India and its history, you can still appreciate GURU for its terrific cast and its strong direction and script.
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