Swami Public Ltd Movie Review

A simpleton turns falls prey to business interests and becomes a godman.

Review: Now this is an example of a perfectly timed movie, although in this case, the timing is coincidental. Based on the forever flourishing ‘industry’ of godmen, 'Swami Public Ltd' comes at a time when the Sant Rampal controversy is fresh in people’s minds.

The film delves into the mindset of the general public, which is that of believing in miracles from the Almighty. When social worker Siddharth (Chinmay) comes to a shrewd businessman Nachiket (Subodh) asking for a sponsorship for his play, Subodh sees a different opportunity in the proposal. The play’s concept of fear in people’s minds ignites a spark in his mind that he decides to bank upon. He asks Siddharth to act like a godman and aid him in his plan of amassing wealth. The hesitant Siddharth agrees after his girlfriend Sayli (Sanskruti), who works for Nachiket, urges him to consider the offer. The stage is set and following a series of fake incidents, Siddharth turns into Swami and his ascension to becoming a godman starts paying rich dividends to Nachiket. Soon the frenzy catches up with the public and another pseudo-guru is born.

The plot itself is very predictable but it succeeds in presenting a world full of deceit and corruption. This is where the film scores brownie points. A lot of references have been drawn from real life incidences but you have to watch carefully to notice them.

Chinmay’s transition from being a logical social worker to getting entangled in a web of deception is easy though the logic behind it is absent. Subodh portrays his character that has shades of grey, precisely. Sanskruti is the eye candy while veterans Vikran Gokhale and the late Vinay Apte feature in prominent roles.

As a line in the film suggests, ‘People don’t understand that they are being made into fools. Or even if they do, they choose to ignore it’. So, watch this one to clear your mind of any illusions.