Of all the plays penned by William Shakespeare, one that
seems especially relevant to our times is Macbeth. A tale
about primal instincts and emotions, Macbeth deals with
ambition, love, violence and death all in one breath.
In Vishal Bhardwaj’s scintillating adaptation, the Mumbai mafia provides the backdrop for
the action. The protagonist, Maqbool (Irrfan Khan), is the right-hand man of the mafia
don Abbaji (Pankaj Kapur). Nimmi (Tabu), who is Abbaji’ s mistress, hates her situation
and is in love with Maqbool, who she thinks is the only one who can put her out of her
misery. Driven by his love for Nimmi and his ambition for power, Maqbool murders Abbaji
and declares himself the leader of the gang. Circumstances then spiral out of control and
Maqbool finds himself surrounded on all sides. Does he have the resolve to fight it any
more?
This unforgettable film not only portrays human emotions but also serves as a morality
tale discriminating wisely between the right and the good and the wrong and the evil.
About The Author:
Vishal Bhardwaj is an internationally
acclaimed film director, writer,
screenwriter, producer, music composer
and playback singer. He has directed a
trilogy of films based on Shakespeare’s
plays: Maqbool (based on Macbeth),
Omkara (based on Othello) and the
forthcoming Haider (based on Hamlet).
His other notable films as a director
include Makdee, Kaminey and Matru Ki
BijIi Ka Mandola.
