Spoilers ahead…
As I was stepping out of a screening of MSG: The Messenger of God – as opposed to, you know, MSG: Do You Really Need It In Your Kitchen? – a man who was in the audience came up and asked how I’d liked the movie. I’d have told him the truth, but then telling a total stranger “Are you freakin’ kidding me?” didn’t seem terribly polite. So I said I liked it. He said he was from Haryana, and a disciple of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the film’s hero and, to quote Wikipedia, “social reformer, preacher, spiritual leader and the head of the India-based socio-spiritual organisation Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) since 23 September 1990.” He’d come to Chennai to gauge audience response. He’d already been to a couple of theatres. He was heading to another one after this screening. At three hours per screening, this, I thought, is some disciple. But he said there were others as well, from U.P. They’d rented a bungalow for a week. He sounded simple, sincere. He said the social reforms shown in this film were real, and that someone in his family had married a prostitute. I must admit I hadn’t heard of this guru until the Censor Board controversy erupted, but he seems to be some good things – again from Wikipedia, “cleanliness campaign, blood drives, tree planting, disaster relief, and support for transgender people, tribal communities, orphans, and rehabilitation of sex workers.” Unfortunately, this cannot form the basis of one’s appreciation of MSG as cinema, to which the only logical response can be: bwahahaha.
A major chunk of laughter comes from Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s appearance. It isn’t the way he looks, as such. If anything he looks… normal, a little chubby, unkempt, with fertile skin sprouting hair from every nook. And that’s refreshing these days, when every leading man appears to have spent every waking moment in the gym. Singh, on the other hand, appears to have spent every waking moment raiding Kalpana Iyer’s wardrobe. Fur collars, jackets studded with pearls, sequinned caftans and harem pants – all embellished with jewellery. It’s like peering into a kaleidoscope dusted with Anil Kapoor’s arm hair. That is why we laugh. The plot has to do with people – one of them played by an actress named, I kid you not, Olexandra Semen; she appears in spurts – trying to assassinate Singh with rifles and bombs. You may wonder why they didn’t just lead him to a full-length mirror and induce instant cardiac arrest.
Did I mention that he sings and dances? He’s been blessed, in that department, with Sunny Deol’s genes – only his arms seem capable of movement. And so, in one song, he moves a solitary finger – it looks like he’s either lecturing us or indicating to the crew that he needs to use the facilities. In another song, he keeps tapping his chest and waving goodbye. He fares slightly better in the action scenes. People hurl swords at him – he raises his hand and the weapons turn into rose petals. Then they train machine guns at him – he raises his hand and the bullets become a tiara. It’s like a Mahabharata video game developed by Michael Bay’s dope supplier.
Why did some people want this film banned, given how it – even if only inadvertently – heartens our humdrum lives? Was the objection on artistic grounds? After all, we’ve seen better acting in a Vicco Turmeric commercial. Or was it something more serious? Was it because MSG is a blatant propaganda vehicle, with Singh positioning himself as an avatar? Despite the disclaimer, at the beginning, that “no claim is made of any individual possessing any fabulous power” – but of course; it’s the dresses that are fabulous – we hear a conch shell when the title appears. Later, we are told that God sends his angels to vanquish evil – and lo, here’s one, without wings, but with a beard and rhinestone boots. And with powers. The light emanating from the centre of his forehead reduces villains to a heap. If this isn’t God, it’s at least Rajinikanth. Still, one must acknowledge the work that Singh has put into MSG. Not only has he co-directed it (with Jeetu Arora), he’s either partly or wholly responsible for the action, lyrics, music, cinematography, story, screenplay and dialogue. If nothing else, Hindi cinema finally has its T Rajendar.
KEY:
- T Rajendar = see here
Copyright ©2015 Baradwaj Rangan. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Ravi K
February 21, 2015
You have no idea how disappointed I am that this is not playing here in the US. This looks like a Balakrishna movie on steroids.
Please elaborate further on what you thought of the movie. Was it enjoyable as a piece of camp?
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Gradwolf
February 21, 2015
I didn’t read this but I am sure the best part about this piece is…”Spoilers ahead”. HAHAHAHAHAHA Boss, too much you are.
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venkatesh
February 21, 2015
Kalpana Iyer — aah ,, memories
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Ashutosh
February 21, 2015
After reading your reviews of Anegan, Roy, and MSG, I realize you have Marcus Aurelius-level autonomy in your perception of things 🙂
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Rajeev Hari Kumar
February 21, 2015
“And so, in one song, he moves a solitary finger – it looks like he’s either lecturing us or indicating to the crew that he needs to use the facilities.”
Haha! xD
So this is one of those “It’s so bad it’s good” kind of movie?
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Ashutosh
February 21, 2015
Olexandra Semen; she appears in spurts
OH MY GOD!!!! mad clever 😀 missed it in the first reading.
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brangan
February 21, 2015
Ashutosh: Is that good or bad? What’s that mean, man? 🙂
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R. Gowtham
February 21, 2015
“It’s like a Mahabharata video game developed by Michael Bay’s dope supplier”
That’s where I clicked Like. 😀
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Iswarya
February 21, 2015
You seem to be in totally blazing form after a long spinach diet in Berlin! Welcome back to our beloved trash! 🙂
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Ashutosh
February 21, 2015
@brangan: just referring to the fact that you can generate such terrific comedy from such drab stuff, so much so that a commenter above quite mercilessly asks you to “elaborate further on what you thought of the movie” 🙂
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brangan
February 21, 2015
Ashutosh: Adhellaam sari. Thank you, thank you. But what has good old Marcus go to do with this? (And they say my writing needs a dictionary. Grumble, grumble!)
🙂
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sjani
February 21, 2015
Thanks for the laughs. God bless you. And may MSG do the same.
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Ashutosh
February 21, 2015
Oh andha point I never explained! So when armpits stink and mouths smell foul, Marcus only told us not to become angry and upset but actually alter our perception so that we can derive meaning and joy out of it, no? So, not randomly dissing terrible films one after the other is Marcus-level autonomy of perception?
Too tenuous? 🙂 … I guess there’s nothing more that I can do except to meditate upon it.
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Bala
February 21, 2015
“Olexandra Semen; she appears in spurts “
is quite easily the funniest line you’ve written in the ten years I’ve been reading machcha. Ok, a bit too much, but goes well with the over-the-top-ness of the movie :p
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Vikram
February 21, 2015
Rangan, did you watch MSG as a straight movie or did you watch it as a “so bad, so good” movie?
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kallempriyanka99
February 21, 2015
Hi, this is so completely off-topic. But please tell me that you will be reviewing Badlapur. I’ve been looking forward to this movie forever. I mean you missed Ugly too, but no big deal, I’m not upset or anything. Just please don’t miss Badlapur as well, at least tell us if you won’t be reviewing it.
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Ddi
February 22, 2015
spoiler alert…sheesh….lololz…funny writeup.
The MSG dude swindles people by saying how they will have lot of money themselves by following babaji.
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Kutty
February 22, 2015
“Olexandra Semen; she appears in spurts “
…. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! Would not usually repeat another comment, but this line needs repeated mentions if only to ensure that your site ranks highest when someone searches for… you know…
And boss. Why insulting Vicco Vajradanti ad?? That ad is, on several occasions, the only good thing about going to the cinemas!
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ravenus1
February 22, 2015
I quite enjoyed this film at the cinema. The camp movie after Dev Anand has a new savior in GRRSI. Looking forward to the sequel, all heil!
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Raj Balakrishnan
February 22, 2015
Lucky you. I don’t think this movie is showing anywhere outside India.
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Hithesh Devasya
February 22, 2015
I think this video defines T Rajender the actor, lyricist, dialogue writer, music director and dancer very accurately. 😀
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jerinasriram
February 22, 2015
Yay! You are back! And how. Greedily reading up on all the reviews you have made the time to write. Thanks.
“.. one of them played by an actress named, I kid you not, Olexandra Semen; she appears in spurts”
– that is the kind of tongue in cheek writing that has made me one of your loyal readers. Thank you for the fantastic er…’review’.
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Kishore
February 22, 2015
Hi Bharadwaj,
Any chance You doing an article of Birdman movie? I really love to read your thoughts about it.
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Rahul
February 24, 2015
Came across this on twitter about double standards of reviewers.-
Shahid Kapoor with beard – great acting , wow!
Varun Dhawan with beard – great acting , wow!
Gurmeet Ram Rahim with beard – Argh !
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