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‘Omerta’: Cold, brutal and repulsively compelling (IANS Review, Rating: **1/2)
By Troy Ribeiro
Film: “Omerta”; Director: Hansal Mehta; Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Timothy Ryan Hickernell, Keval Arora, Sanjeev Chopra; Rating: **1/2
Hansal Mehta is an accomplished film maker, but his “Omerta” is not one that will shine as one among his best, simply because, it offers nothing exceptional.
Cinema is always considered to be an art form to be gawked at and admired. And Hansal leaves no stone unturned while mounting this evil-crime drama. Though, astutely crafted and brilliantly mounted, the film lacks a soul.
Based on real life events and modified for cinematic liberty, “Omerta” is the biography of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British citizen of Pakistani descent, who had links to various Islamist militant organisations and was responsible for several terrorist activities in India and Pakistan.
The film exposes state-sponsored terrorism and how it manipulates young minds into believing a sordid interpretation of struggle or fight against the enemies of one’s religion. This is not a film about the rightness or wrongness of Omar’s cause or the political situation that inspired it. It simply documents his cold-blooded journey.
In the process, the film inadvertently glorifies terrorism. Sans any entertainment, there are blood churning moments that make you feel repulsed right from the kidnapping of a few foreign tourists in Delhi to the scenes that involve the annihilation of the Wall-Street journalist Daniel Pearl, in Pakistan.
Narrated in a non-linear manner, the film is taut and engaging during the first act. The second act loses it sheen due to the poor editing that causes the confusion between place and period. And, the third act with the inclusion of many news-media stock-footages, seems a tad tacky and a rushed job to wrap this non-conclusive narrative,
The characters are well-etched and mounted with utmost realism. On the performance front, the film is Rajkummar Rao’s canvas and as usual, he is impressive as the thoughtful and quixotic Omar. He delivers a brilliant performance as the emotionally inclined but brutally barbarous, “intelligent and well-educateda member of the holy war.
Timothy Ryan Hickernell who has a striking resemblance to Daniel Pearl offers an earnest portrayal. Keval Arora as Saeed Sheikh – Omar’s helpless and lost father is sincere.
Shot across actual locations, Anuj Rakesh Dhawan’s cinematography is simple yet effective. It captures the fine nuances of Neil Chowdhury’s production designs, the locales and the emotions of the cast, to perfection.
Ishaan Chhabra’s music along with Mandar Kulkarni’s sound design seamlessly mesh in the narrative. The visuals and sound are astutely layered by Aditya Warrior’s razor-sharp editing.
The title, “Omerta” which in Italian means a code of silence about criminal activity and a refusal to give evidence to the police, refers to the attitude of ordinary people who look the other way and don’t bring the criminals to book. It denotes the motivating factor of Omar’s strife.
Overall, at the end as you leave the theatre, you are bound to question the motive of this film and its worthiness.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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