Newton movie review: A charming satire on the dance of democracy

Newton
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjai Mishra
Director: Amit Masurkar
Rating: 4/5

Newton movie review: It is one of the finest political satires we have seen in the last couple of years. It refrains from taking sides and offers a humorous take on state versus the Maoists bloody battle.

When Nutan Kumar, son of a middle class family in Chhattisgarh, decides to change his name to Newton to avoid getting laughed at, he doesn’t know where it will lead him. After a few years, when he is a government clerk and is sent to conduct a free and fair election in the Maoist-hit Dandakaranya region, he realises the significance of Newton’s discovery of the gravitational force. It’s just that, in real life, not everybody has a similar free fall the way Newton predicted.

In terms of entertainment value, 'Newton' takes on a completely unremarkable subject. After all, why would anyone want to watch a film on election woes in a remote jungle surrounded by Naxalites? Surely not your average moviegoer who is primarily accustomed to the glitz and glamour of escapistBollywood. But in the recent past, some films have tried to blur the line between sheer 'paisa vasool' quotient and essential social commentary. 'Newton' jumps over that divide and runs off with a brilliantly acted, impeccably written, lovingly shot, humorous, yet poignant film that Indian audiences didn't ask for, but need.

Newton is one of the finest political satires we have seen in the last couple of years. It refrains from taking sides and offers a humorous take on state versus the Maoists bloody battle. It raises questions on the importance of the electoral system we are so proud of. It takes us much beyond what we see. The team of Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghuvir Yadav and Anjali Patil has come up with a top-notch performance. It’s a world waiting to be explored, so better do it now.

Direction:       4.5/5
Dialogues;      4.0/5
Screenplay:     4.5/5
Music:             4.0/5
Comedy:          4.0/5
Visual appeal:  4.0/5