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‘Main Aur Charles’ – Impressive and intriguing
By Troy Ribeiro
Film: “Main Aur Charles”; Cast: Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadha, Adil Hussain, Tisca Chopra, Alexx O’Neil and Lucky Morani; Director: Prawaal Raman; Rating: ***1/2
“Main Aur Charles” is a fictional docu-drama that gives an insight into the chequered life of the most notorious, psychopathic criminal Charles Sobhraj, who rocked the 1970s with his serial killings of bikini-clad tourists.
The opening shot, focussing only on a man’s shoes with his legs out stretched on the bow of the motorboat, foretells the enigmatic subject that the tale will unravel.
Narrated from the point of view of the then Delhi Police Commissioner Amod Kanth (Adil Hussain), the film does not delve deep into the psyche of Charles (Randeep Hooda). It merely documents the salient incidents in his life, starting 1968 in Thailand, spanning till his final arrest in Goa in 1986. The tale is juxtaposed with the police’s efforts to arrest him and how each time Charles eludes them, except for the final time.
Cursory references to his childhood, mainly conjectures, are all that is made to analyse why Charles might have become a criminal. The film does not really probe into his early years.
Randeep Hooda looks and portrays Charles Sobhraj, getting into the skin of the character, by physical appearance, mannerisms and mindset. His lazy smile, confident persona and electrifying charm when he woos women, makes you believe this is how Charles Sobhraj must have looked and behaved.
It is a convincing performance which seems completely effortless, replete with the English spoken with a French accent. Randeep obviously becomes Charles Sobhraj for those 130-odd minutes.
Adil Hussain plays the moral and righteous police commissioner with sincerity, rendering a powerful performance. Richa Chadha as a law student named Mira Sharma, essays with competence her role of an awestruck young lady, madly in love with Charles and mesmerised by his charismatic personality. She shines in some scenes but seems listless and unenergetic in many.
Nandu Madhav as Sudhakar Zende, the police inspector who arrested Charles in Goa, is impressive and worth a mention. So is Alex O’Neil as Richard Thomas, one of his accomplices in Delhi Jail.
Tisca Chopra as Reena, Amod Kanth’s wife, offers nothing new and is stereotypical. Lucky Morani in a miniscule role of psychiatrist Ashima, is wasted.
Director Prawaal presents the subject with honesty. Crisp, cut and dry and sleekly mounted, he makes no futile attempt to hype. There is no unnecessary drama, no emotional moments, no convoluted plots, yet, the film manages to keep you riveted to the screen, by the sheer power of Charles’s life and the interesting twists it takes, courtesy his razor-sharp mind and tongue.
The dialogues, “Evil is charming, attractive and difficult to resista or “acchai ki jeet hoti hai par burai kabhi haarti nahin” — whether in English or Hindi are powerful, loaded with messages and apt in the context of the film.
With ace production values, Anuj Rakesh Dhawan’s cinematography is brilliant, his sepia tone frames are artistic and they reflect the era to perfection, especially Goa of the 1980s. He captures the costumes, the hairstyles and the mood of the scenes flawlessly.
The background score is used effectively to up the element of tension in the narration. The retro music with Latino beats merge seamlessly in the film’s story, enhancing the era being depicted.
The visuals and the sound are cleverly layered by editor Nipun Gupta.
Overall, “Main Aur Charles” is a well-made intriguing film with realistic performances.
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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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