A period drama, the narrative opens into a vast desert of Punjab, harbouring gangs of dacoits who plunder villages. Set against this wasteland, the film strikes a visual metaphor for the barren lives of the villagers of Maurh. Struggling to maintain their land against the oppressive landlords and corrupt kings, are brothers Kishna (Dev Kharod) and Jeona (Ammy Virk). While Kishna is first to turn into a bandit to avenge for the wrongs against the system, Jeona is forced to follow his footsteps after the king and British captain kill Kishna. While Dev Kharoud is no stranger to the genre of action, Ammy Virk is making a dramatic entry into it with Maurh. Depicting the life story of Jeona, Ammy throws a powerful rendition of dialogues, fit for a bandit baying for blood. The credit for recreating the notoriously wasted desert of Punjab goes as much to the director, Jatinder Mauhar as the cinematographer. With a sandy wash to the screen, costumes take on a tinge of sepia and earthy shades, pulling the narrative sharply focused onto the subject at hand- that of oppression. With Maurh, Ammy has overthrown his hitherto held image of either a romantic fool or a comic. A lot of his thunderous performance also owes itself to the equally challenging roles essayed by Vikramjit Virk who plays his nemesis in Dogar, Kuljinder Sidhu, who betrays Kishna, Sunny Sandhu who plays a staunch loyalist. Singer Jasmin Sandlas, who makes a special appearance and adds the only touch of colour to the screen in her saffron costume, is yet another surprise. Away from her pop image, Jasmin has donned a folk songstress’ avatar with captivating perfection. What slightly dims the narrative is the lag in screenplay. While the film celebrates detailing in depth, it doesn’t etch the character’s emotions with as much strength. However, Maurh is worth a watch for its drama, performances, cinematic appeal. It is heartening to see how far Punjabi cinema has travelled with genres besides comedy, and Maurh is truly exemplary.Read more

Of late, Punjabi writers have been busy flipping the pages of history to find suitable stories to bring onto the silver screen. The latest in this attempt is Maurh (2023), a historical drama based on the legend of Jeona Morh, a god-fearing, sincere man who takes up arms to protect the victims of oppression and becomes a dacoit. Written and directed by Jatinder Mauhar, who recently helmed Saade Aale (2022), Maurh is set towards the end of the 19th century, during the time of British rule. Amidst the rugged, sandy terrain of a lesser seen Punjab, we are told of the dual slavery of the people at the time, towards the colonial masters and the zamindars who ruthlessly fed off the people’s labour. What choice lies with the marginalised who are victims of systemic oppression? Do they cower meekly and remain defeated or do they pick up arms and fight against injustice? This is the pivotal question in the film. Kishen (Dev Kharoud) has a fiery temperament and refuses to meekly accept brute force. He joins the dacoits and becomes an outlaw. His brother Jeona (Ammy Virk), on the other hand, is a dutiful, god-fearing man who doesn’t want any trouble. He goes about his work, minding his own business but when things become too personal and he sees no other way out, he takes up arms to fight for his people. It is evident that painstaking details have been borne in mind to translate the compelling legend of Jeona on screen. The well-researched production design by Kazi Rafiq Ali is impressive, as is the costume design by Tejinder Kaur, which together brings alive the historical era with authenticity. DI Colorist Prakash Joseph’s selection of a subtle sepia tint further enhances the periodisation of the drama on screen. Sadly, however, despite several outstanding elements in the film, the writing and direction falter and the overall impact of Maurh is lost. The slow pace in the first half fails to gather momentum till after the interval. It’s almost as if the writer-director was anxious about the two big-ticket stars, Kharoud and Virk, and was at pains to give them both meaty roles. This, frustratingly, compromises the overall narrative. The first half belongs to Kharoud, who owns his action-hero persona, looks impressive in the rustic get-up and menacingly rams his way through every obstacle. But Virk steals the limelight in the second half as the vigorous, inspirational Jeona, the dacoit with a heart. With mostly light-hearted comedies and dramas to his credit so far, Virk proves that he can shine as an action hero as well. He invigorates the second half with his passionate performance, leading it to its very satisfactory ending. Aside from the two central stars, the casting of the actors is on point. From Vikramjeet Virk as the duplicitous bandit lord Dogar, Sikander Ghuman as the conniving Raja who refuses to be defeated by a mere brigand, to veteran actor Naginder Gakhar as the wily moneylender and Sunny Sandhu as the faithful ally and others, each character artiste has been chosen with precision and deliver able performances. The legend of Jeona Maurh is a powerful one about the transformation of a simple man to one who fights injustice on behalf of oppressed people. In Jatinder Mauhar’s version, this transformation seems hasty and he whittles away the opportunity for creating a much more engaging, moving film with heart. An earlier Punjabi-language film on the subject, Jatt Jeona Morh (1991), directed by Ravinder Ravi and starring a young Guggu Gill, was a massive hit. It remains to be seen if this latest rendition of the legend will be able to repeat the success of its predecessor. Read more