Released last week in U.P., Deepak Kumar Films’ Agam (UA) is set in Varanasi, the city of Shiv (religion), Shav (corpse) and Tantra (occult). The first story — ‘Yatra’ — is about the beginning of the journey of a traveller who has freed himself from the worldly connections and is in quest of knowledge and the truth. He has broken the shackles and has also questioned the power of the Hindu monastery. The second story — ‘Manikarnika’ — is about a newly-wed bride who tries to mould herself by conquering the ways of the Manikarnika Ghat, smell and surroundings of burning corpses and rhythmic chanting of ‘Ram naam satya hai’. ‘Desh-Tantra’ is the third story about uncontrived love, the attraction between a man and a woman, and the psychology of the two sexes under the age-old established occult and ultimately overruling all the shackles and surrendering themselves to love and physical attraction.
Sumit Mishra’s story and screenplay are too philosophical in nature and, therefore, devoid of entertaining moments which the regular audiences are used to. His dialogues are so-so.
Rahul Bagga does an ordinary job. Tara-Alisha Berry is fair. Anastasia Kelly is okay. Ashmith Kunder is alright. Others pass muster.
Sumit Mishra’s direction is dull. Parvesh Mallick’s music and background score are not at all of the popular variety. Ram Goutam’s lyrics are functional. Camerawork (Krishna Soren) is average. Rajiv Ranjan’s art direction is nothing to write home about. Morten Hojbjerg’s editing leaves plenty to be desired.
On the whole, Agam is a weak fare and more of a festival film… 1st week Sitapur 4,738/-.
