Even if you have not read Sanjaya Baru’s book The Accidental Prime Minister, you will know that the former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh wasn’t the most assertive. The movie The Accidental Prime Minister depicts Sanjaya Baru’s perception of Indian politics focusing on his stint as the Media Advisor to the former Prime Minister. At Film Comments, we see if the movie entertains us in The Accidental Prime Minister film review.
Anupam Kher plays former PM Manmohan Singh with Akshaye Khanna portraying Sanjaya Baru, his Media Advisor during the UPA’s first term in power. Akshaye Khanna talks with an authority that is entirely contradictory to how Anupam Kher portrays the former Prime Minister. The latter is shown as timid and someone who is unable to take a firm stand on anything.
Almost for three-quarters of the duration of The Accidental Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru is shown advising the former Prime Minister, who himself is incapable of taking any decision. Sanjaya Baru played by Akshaye Khanna is so ubiquitous in the film that there isn’t much scope for the other actors apart from Anupam Kher to play a significant role. For a while, watching the two main actors, Anupam Kher and Akshaye Khanna, sharing the screen makes for absorbing viewing. Notably, the latter is in fine form. There is no doubt that these two exceptional performers keep the audiences intrigued even when the onscreen proceedings aren’t any more interesting than your average news channel broadcasts.
Those hoping for a Congress-bashing will come away somewhat frustrated, as The Accidental Prime Minister steers clear of being an all-out propaganda film. However, coming on the heels of the General Elections, it may be seen as benefiting the ruling party, although this is more incidental than on purpose. In any case, what is shown in The Accidental Prime Minister isn’t going to create any ripples among the political fraternity and no party will gain anything much from it.
There is no shortage of political spoofs in Western media. In India, it is a different story. Can you imagine SNL in India lampooning a former Indian Prime Minister let alone one in power? The Accidental Prime Minister is at best a measured retelling of Sanjay Baru’s book and doesn’t significantly add much to what is already known. If you are an avid follower of Indian politics, you might be slightly bemused and even find yourself strolling down memory lane as you revisit the ineptness of the former government.
Where The Accidental Prime Minister lacks considerably is in its narrative structure. An unorganized narrative means that politicians keep coming on and off the screen at random not adding any heft to the story. Also, to the not-so-politically-inclined, this significantly mars the viewing experience as you are left jostling to make sense of it all. If deciphering the endless political shenanigans isn’t your forte, you will walk away from the cinema hall without being any more enlightened than you were before.
Herein lies the film’s most significant drawback. Instead of supplementing the information that the audience already possess, by providing a better understanding of how the government functions, The Accidental Prime Minister singularly invests in depicting the many interactions between the former Prime Minister and Sanjaya Baru at various points during the tenure of the UPA government. That, in turn, skews the narrative and reduces its efficacy to create a lasting impact.
In the end, The Accidental Prime Minister is hardly propaganda fare. Although, that in itself is noteworthy, in trying to come off unscathed, The Accidental Prime Minister ends up as nothing more than a mildly entertaining political drama that, had the director pushed harder and possessed a greater understanding of the nuances of Indian politics, could have ended up being so much better.
(2.5 / 5)
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