Film

OMKARA

5:00 pm, Saturday November 11th, Castro Cinema
Admission: $9
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Country: India (2006)
Running Time:150min, 35mm
Subtitles in English

 

 

 

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Omkara is an inspired and brilliantly executed adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello in a contemporary Indian setting. Set against the milieu of political and gangster warfare in the interiors of India's Uttar Pradesh, Omkara follows a warlord's descent into sexual jealousy and the wreckage resulting from his amorous obsession.

Omkara (Omi) is a gifted chieftain who heads a gang of outlaws, which includes the crafty Langda Tyagi and the dynamic Kesu amongst his chief cohorts.   As within Shakepere's Othello, Omi's tragic flaw is his jealousy, and his inability to trust his true love, which is exploited by Langda Tyagi who is also subsumed by his own envy and resentment.

Omkara is a dark, brooding, beautifully cinematic and superbly acted film that stays true to Othello's central theme of jealousy, weaving all other conflicts around it. The film enriches and infuses Shakespeare's characters with the necessary color, language, culture and drama unique to its South Asian setting.

Omkara is a rare and gripping story by gifted director Vishal Bhardwaj, which ingeniously fits into the many genres of Indian Cinema: Art house meets Bollywood.

All star Cast: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi, Naseeruddin Shah and Bipasha Basu