Remembering Irrfan Khan: Macbeth of Mumbai or the treacherous Maqbool
Maqbool was ambivalent at first but imagining Nimmi and Abbaji together, and thoughts of working under a minor thug who would soon be Abbaji's son-in-law, made him paranoid.
There is an old rumour that uttering the name "Macbeth"' is a bad omen for any actor/actress.
When Macbeth's Indian representation appeared on screen, we saw him as Maqbool Miyan.
He was not addressed by his first name throughout almost the entire film.
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Was director Bishal Vardwaz trying to say the transformed name as cursed as the original one?
If not, then why did the only person in the entire film who addressed Maqbool Miyan by his first name face a brutal death?
Maqbool is a 2003 Indian film based on Macbeth, a widely appreciated drama by the English poet, playwright and actor William Shakespeare. The title character Maqbool Miyan was
played by Irrfan Khan.
In the movie, Irrfan played the character of a goon who worked for Godfather Jahangir Khan, who is known as Abbaji (Played by Pankaj Kapoor).
The film opened with two corrupt police officers' heinous actions, which highlight the power of Abbaji and his cruelty towards rivals.
Abbaji nevertheless supports Maqbool on different occasions, which lead viewers to believe Abbaji shares a special bond with Maqbool.
We also see Abbaji's wife/mistress Nimmi's seductive behaviour towards Maqbool, which Abbaji did not try to stop either.
At one point Nimmi comes up with the idea of dethroning Abbaji.
Maqbool was ambivalent at first but imagining Nimmi and Abbaji together, and thoughts of working under a minor thug who would soon be Abbaji's son-in-law, made him paranoid.
Then the unavoidable contemptuous act takes place and the portal of incongruity enters into Maqbool and Nimmi's sanity.
Maqbool then becomes irresolute about carrying out his plans.
The two corrupt policemen were played by two of the greatest actors of the Indian subcontinent - Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri.
Their presence and acting enriched the plot of the film.
We all know what happened to Macbeth. The same happened with Maqbool, but with a modern twist.
The role of one of the most complex characters in literary history is not an easy task to carry out.
But Irrfan Khan was no ordinary actor. The paranoia, the guilt, the atonement -- every bit of it was pure finesse.
In the movie, we go through his journey, share his anger, scold him for his deeds, and later feel his guilt and let him sink in that.
Bishal Vardwaz's portrayal of Shakespeare's play in modern India was unnerving and undoubtedly one of his best works ever.
