IIPM

As a mainstream masala film, there is very less wrong with Madhur Bhandarkar’s latest film – Corporate. Going by the trade figures, the film is doing good business. Film critics (obviously not very initiated with the corporate culture) have given good reviews, too! However, India Inc. is not too happy with the film, it seems. Assocham Secretary General D. S. Rawat, for one made his disapproval clear, “What concerns us is that a message goes around among young film-goers, as if the corporate sector is heartless... The way the woman protagonist has been shown as a sacrificial goat is just not the real picture of India Inc., which has some of the most respectable leaders to boast.”

The real problem here is with Bhandarkar’s reputation of being a realistic filmmaker. His Chandni Bar and Satta were good, realistic films, and of course, Page 3 was too brilliant. And that exactly is the problem. Though films needn’t necessarily be based on realism (in fact, those are the non-realistic masala films, which make more money), post Page 3, Madhur has earned a reputation of making well researched films, which show reality as it is. In Corporate, however, that research is completely missing. Apart from using some of the left over research inputs of Page 3, Madhur relies on Bollywood’s depiction of the corporate sector over the years through its typical ‘Amrish Puri’ type ‘Dhanna Seths’. He just makes them sit in high rises, gives them Allen Solly dresses, makes them owners of ‘cola’ companies (instead of ‘coal’ mines), takes the more corporate looking Rajat Kapoor (though for the rival’s role, he keeps our old baddie Raj Babbar), asks them to talk in hush-hush tones with fake seriousness (in the absence of any worthwhile serious cause), and of course, keeps a laptop in everybody’s lap (when the women aren’t there); because after all, the corporate world means a laptop, doesn’t it? And yes, the rest remains the same... There are the politicians and bureaucrats, always ready for bribes and women (and therefore, the item numbers are an obvious necessity). There are women who are dressed to seduce in order to take out corporate secrets, very innovatively (sic!). They also use call girls to drug the rival to sleep, while they transfer his corporate secrets through a smart card (oh yes!!) from his laptop. And then, there are the planted spies and the betrayers; and not to forget, the no-tension murder of anyone spoiling the image of our corporate czar, even if it’s his own brother-in-law! Ya, in between somewhere, there is a line that almost goes unnoticed – about the corporate world being all about ‘profits’ – something that could’ve been the main theme of the movie, instead of the mindless and clichéd politicians making calls and women seducing men and drugging them.

However, as I mentioned, the film does work as a commercial film, and I am not debating that these things have never happened in the corporate world. But making a film on ‘exceptions’ and promoting it as ‘realistic’, is the problem. Page 3 was reality; that’s how that world is ‘in general’... superficial, and hiding their dirt through glamour. But, the corporate world ‘in general’ is not this way, and that’s why Madhur’s Corporate goes awfully wrong, and misleads. A friend of mine constantly kept telling me, “Oh, so this is your corporate world?” while watching the film. And another friend of mine from the film industry messaged me, “I saw Corporate... It seems your corporate world is dirtier than our industry.”

Being associated with the corporate world as well as with the film world, I thought of writing on this, since none of the reviews I have read, have been from anyone in the mainstream corporate sector. I am personally inspired by modern day corporate leaders like Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, Naina Lal Kidwai, and many more; and know they are icons of today’s youth. I do realise Corporate puts a question mark upon the reputation of these leaders at the helm of India Inc., who are taking India towards higher growth rates and towards developing a favourable outlook of India’s talent, largely due to their intellect and integrity with which they conduct their businesses. However, what the heck! It’s just a film. My personal opinion is that India Inc. should go and enjoy the film... and then ignore it – like it ignores scores of others – as a nonrealistic, but well made masala film, for what else, but ‘profits’ :-)


For complete IIPM Editorial Article, please click here...

Source: IIPM Publication, Editor: Arindam Chaudhuri