Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai Review: A Magical and Mesmerizing Spiritual Ecstasy

RATING - ⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5/5*

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai Review Movie Talkies:

I'll begin my review with the phrases Ram Krishna Hari, Mauli, and Jai Hari Vitthal. At times we may overlook it, yet every Maharashtrian ought to feel proud of being born in Maharashtra—the region with a deep cultural heritage, historical significance, and spiritual essence. Lanjekar realized that there is no need to fabricate stories when our history is filled with remarkable true narratives. He began with Shivraj Ashtak, which is somewhat faltering now, and I will forever question why he didn't transform it into the Baahubali of Marathi cinema. Ultimately, he pauses from Chhatrapati's stories and travels 700 years into the past to uncover the legendary narrative of Sant Dnyaneshwar and his family. The legacy of 700 years endures... and will persist for another 7,000 years. This movie is truly enchanting and captivating as it encompasses all that we have been reading and hearing about. Digpal exerts relentless effort to bring that remarkable story to the big screen using every imaginable technique a director could wish for, providing you with the delight of spiritual bliss.

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai Story:

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai begins with Rukmini Bai (Mrinal Kulkarni) welcoming the birth of Mukta. Her spouse, Vitthal Pant (Sameer Dharmadhikari), comes back from his hermitage, causing the village Shastris to shun their entire family. Deprived of educational opportunities, Vitthal Pant and Rukmini take Jal Samadhi so their children can achieve societal acceptance. Nivruttinath (Akshay Kelkar) takes on the responsibility of three siblings: Dnyaneshwar (Tejas Barve), Sopan (Suraj Parasnis), and the youngest child, who is a girl, Mukta (Neha Naik). The remainder of the movie depicts their path from being exiled people to transforming into the most revered saint family in Maharashtra's history.

The script merits top scores in this regard and should be praised for its intricacy. While it begins on a subdued tone, resembling a daily soap with its frequent loud background music and numerous overly dramatic moments, once the childhood scenes of the siblings wrap up, the film maintains a steady pace without any lulls or dips. It gains strength and maintains strong momentum right through to the conclusion, which is highly emotionally engaging. I can only picture how all those Varkari brothers, sisters, and followers of Mauli will respond. They are going to experience a flood of tears. The entire film, along with the climax, is rich with heartfelt and spiritual moments that will allow you to witness Mauli's greatness firsthand. From the moving wall to the speaking buffalo, from the Maande on heating back to the ultimate Sanjivan Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar, each memory and every recognized miracle of the Mauli are vividly portrayed on the big screen by the writer and director, making each scene a spiritual delight for you. Additionally, all the well-known poems are delivered beautifully, including the famous Pasaydaan. After a long time, I have watched a complete film like this in Marathi cinema, so it doesn’t matter the degree of cinematic liberty Digpal and his team have used to persuade me of the intensity of the moments. It certainly convinced me, and that's what truly matters.

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai Cast:

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai is spearheaded by new faces, and thankfully Digpal chose not to follow the usual faces with their narrow traits. Manas Bedekar and Ishmita Joshi have delivered such outstanding performances that I can't envision anyone else embodying those iconic characters more effectively than they do. It has been many years since Dnyaneshwar and Muktaai appeared on screen, and thankfully, this has occurred with Tejas and Neha. The wait is worth it. Akshay Kelkar portrays Nivrutti with poise and steadiness, while Suraj Parasnis effectively embodies Sopan. Manoj Joshi features a crucial scene in the movie and as a bombastic entry scene. That character fits his personality and accent flawlessly. Yogesh Soman will make you despise him, and that is where he wins as an actor, while Smita Shewale has a shaky beginning but improves significantly later. Each actor in the supporting cast has performed excellently, including the guest appearances by several well-known and seasoned actors. Thank you all for embracing those roles without any issues of ego. Everyone deserves a huge round of applause for that.

The modern composers manage the musical department exceptionally well. Revisiting those unforgettable songs from my Marathi textbook in elementary school is more than simply a feeling of nostalgia. It's a divine ecstasy, a joyful recollection of past moments. Additionally, hearing Pasayaan, which we students would chant during school prayers, felt truly enchanting. Wow, I still feel chills as I write this. The cinematography is decent; it definitely could have improved. I don't quite grasp the reasoning behind the recurrent use of those top-view of Alandi. Moreover, the close-up shots ought to have been utilized more frequently as the characters convey much through their facial expressions instead of through words.

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai Movie Review:

The sound design was likewise mediocre, and the production design appeared significantly improved compared to Lanjekar's earlier projects. I am not sure what Digpal ate before to making this film or who suggested he step back from those uninspiring action movies, but what he has produced here is unquestionably his BEST WORK to date, and it might stay that way until he transitions to a different area once more. The movie might seem lengthy, but I understand that the narrative of this Kulkarni family is so extensive that it can't be captured in a standard feature film format. Nevertheless, Lanjekar made the attempt, concentrating primarily on the key highlights and leaving out certain smaller but significant events (due to a lack of alternatives), ultimately presenting a COMPLETE FILM in every sense. All hail Mauli, all hail Sant Dnyaneshwar, Muktaai, Nivrutti, Sopan, and all hail Lord Vitthal and Rakhumai. All hail to Digpal as well for making this dream a reality. Strongly recommended to every Maharashtrian.