Maqbool

The film is based on William Shakespeares Macbeth and with Mumbai underworld as its backdrop. Maqbool (Irrfan Khan) is the right-hand man of Jahangir Khan (alias Abba Ji) (Pankaj Kapoor), a powerful underworld don. Maqbool is grateful and feels a close connection and personal indebtedness to Abba Ji. The movie gains pace with two corrupt police-men (played by Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah) predicting that Maqbool would soon take over the reins of the Mumbai Underworld from Abba Ji. These two thus play a role akin to the three witches in the original play.

Nimmi (Tabu) is Abba Jis mistress, but she secretly loves Maqbool. Maqbool loves Nimmi, too. Nimmi also encourages Maqbools ambitions and persuades him to kill Abba Ji in order to take over as don. Maqbool is torn between his love for Nimmi and his loyalty to Abba Ji, but he begins to prepare the ground for becoming a don by ensuring that others in the line of succession cannot interfere. Finally, in a dramatic scene, Maqbool murders Abba Ji in cold blood while he is in bed at night, with Nimmi next to him.

Maqbool gets away with it and takes over as don, just as planned; but both he and Nimmi are haunted by guilt, seeing Abba Jis ghost and unable to wash the blood from their hands. There is also suspicion, within the gang, of Maqbools role in the death of Abba Ji, and eventually the lovers meet a tragic end.In addition to the portrayals of the three tragic heroes, the film offers performances by supporting cast members, in particular Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah, who open the film in their roles as black comic relief corrupt police inspectors-cum-astrologers, who predict the fall of Abba Ji—who has them on his payroll—and the rise and fall of Maqbool. Contrary to the original play, the corrupt cops are not just passive soothsayers. In an effort to sustain what they refer as balancing forces, they also actively involve in shaping events, like aiding in providing information to Abba Jis enforcers to wipe out a rival gang, using subtle nuances in coercing Maqbool to shift loyalties, deliberately botching an encounter attempt on Riyaz Boti (Macduff) and subsequently setting up an alliance between a rival politician (to the incumbent one, backed by Abba Ji) and a fleeing Guddu (Fleance) and Riyaz Boti against Maqbool.

Director :

Vishal Bhardwaj

Cast :

Tabu, Pankaj Kapoor, Irfan Khan, Moushumi Chatterjee, Om Puri

Genre :

Mystery Drama

Producer :

Bobby Bedi

Release Date :

2004-01-01

Running Time :

132 minutes

Music :

Vishal Bhardwaj

Soundtrack :

Title
Singers
Lyrics
Length
Jhin Min Jhini
N/A
N/A
5:32
Ru-Ba-Ru
N/A
N/A
5:53
Rone Do
N/A
N/A
5:02
Dheemo Re
N/A
N/A
3:18
Maqbool Theme
N/A
N/A
1:34
Rukhe Naina
N/A
N/A
5:14
Chingari
N/A
N/A
4:26
Rin Din Din
N/A
N/A
1:36
Nirvana
N/A
N/A
1:53
Shoonya (instrumental)
N/A
N/A
1:58
Jhin Min Jhini
N/A
N/A
6:24

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