Mohenjo Daro
2016 · Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
Original language: Hindi
- adventure
- drama
- history
- romance
The story
During the Indus valley civilization, an Indigo farmer strives for the justice and protection of the city of Mohenjo-Daro and its civilians from an evil politician.
What it’s like
Wide, sun-bleached landscapes of dry riverbanks and dusty plains give way to large, sweeping city vistas, with warm amber light and a palette of ochre, indigo and saffron. The camera moves with an epic confidence, favoring grand establishing shots and crowded market streets, and the digital spectacle is loud and bright rather than gritty. Music is a constant presence: full orchestral swells, folk-inflected percussion and several lush romantic song sequences that slow the pace. The rhythm alternates between big, sustained action set pieces and quieter stretches of courtship and civic drama, and the emotional register is earnest, heroic and sentimental. Violence is present in the action scenes, with swordplay, battles and a villain's cruelty, but it stays on the level of stylised spectacle rather than graphic gore, and there is some peril and menace. It suits a weekend afternoon with a big screen, or anyone who wants a classic-style historical adventure with romance, colour and large-scale staging. It is for viewers who enjoy sweeping, melodramatic epics with heart.
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