Bollywood Movie Review City of Gold

Mahesh Manjrekar returns to Hindi films with 'City of Gold', displaying the same form, grit and honesty that he displayed in movies like 'Vaastav' and 'Astitva.' The film tells the story of a forgotten people... the mill workers of the 1982 strike. It was a strike which most of today's generation have no clue about. The site of the city's poshest malls was once the home of the textile mills.
The film goes back in time and takes a look at how one displaced family tried to cope with the aftermath of the strike. While one agrees that there is a certain amount of predictability about the turn of events, the film has a gritty pace and a certain raw honesty about it, which draws you into the lives of the denizens of Laxmi Chawl. The film unfolds with the same passionate vigour and acerbic touches, so characteristic of most of Manjrekar's work, and is very much present all through the movie.
The film zooms in on the story of one such millworker's family and how their fortunes nosedive post the strike. The film starts in 1982 with the strike led by trade unionist Rane (Sachin Khedekar), against Khaitan and his son in law, played by Sameer Dharmadhikari.
Set against this backdrop is the Dhuri family which is headed by Ana (Shashank Shende) and Aai (Seema Biswas), who try hard to keep their family which consists of three sons, and daughter, Manju (Veena Jamkar) together.

The youngest son, Naru (Karan Patel), becomes a contract killer for the underworld, the elder one romances his own 'maami' while the third is an aspiring writer. As for the daughter, the spunky Manju takes to prostitution. As the events unfold, Aai tries to bind the family together even when there is almost nothing left to hold on to… as the mill workers are lead to ruin by the owners.
The film is peopled with desperate characters, all trying to desperately survive. It is not a pretty story and Manjerkar has made no attempt to tone anything down either. 'City of Gold' is raw and in your face. Even though the film ends on a despairing note, it is a tale which is gripping and cannot leave one feeling indifferent. However, technically speaking, the film could have done with a little editing, especially with the climax.

Manjrekar takes up a good case as tries to document the bleak and hard times of 1982. The accompanying dialogue is equally sharp and edgy, as are the action scenes. Through the lives of the denizens of the Dhuri family, in particular, as well as those of Laxmi Chawl, the director tries to create a microcosm of those tumultuous and desperate times in the lives of thousands of mill workers, trying to stave off poverty. History is a witness to the fact that they are yet to get justice, till date.

The most empowering factor about this movie is its cast. And their fine performances. Like the film itself, these performances are gutsy, gritty and powerful. Leading the brigade is Seema Biswas playing the strong, matriarchal figure, supported brilliantly by Veena Jamkar, Khedekar, Siddharth Jadhav, Ganesh Yadav, Satish Kaushik and Kashmeera, all of who turn in wonderful performances. But the showstopper here is Karan Patel as Naru. He is definitely a powerhouse of talent, an actor to watch out for.

This is a strong film and it is bound to elicit a strong response from the audience, as well. Manjrekar has succeeded in tearing away the veil from the Maximum City of Mumbai and portrayed the real story of Bombay.