In its right as a story about the complicated relationship between two co-workers, Inkaar does not disappoint. Viewers, however, would be well advised to drop expectations of a social discourse on the ills of sexual harassment in the workplace.
With his latest film, writer and director Sudhir Mishra explores the pitfalls of an office love affair as it slips into a power struggle. He slathers his characters with big helpings of grey and cloaks the plot in many layers, urging the viewer to observe, judge and pick a side.
The premise is this — Maya (Chitrangada Singh), a rookie ad-maker, meets Rahul (Arjun Rampal), an established figure in the industry, at an event in Goa. Rahul spots potential in her and decides to make her his protégé, while Maya falls for his charm and begins to see him as more than just a mentor.
Emotional and professional tensions escalate after they consummate their relationship. Seven years later, after rising to the top of the agency, Maya slaps a case of sexual harassment against Rahul. It is not clear whether Rahul mentored her with a motive or if Maya used her sexuality to climb up the ladder.
The narrative, which uses flashbacks to reconstruct events from the point of view of both parties, is engaging for the most part. The view often returns to a conference room, where social worker Mrs Kamdar (Deepti Naval) and some members of the agency have gathered to find out who wronged whom.
The variations in the male and female vantages and the biases of the members of the sexual harassment committee make for interesting viewing.
The constant tension in the story is broken with a skilful infusion of humour, like when Maya is struck by an idea for an ad even as her boss lambasts her for losing a big client. Or in another instance, the quirky ad for ‘Chameli’ soap bar, an obvious reference to Mishra’s 2004 film.
However, in the climax, shot under a flickering bulb in the ad agency’s washroom, the film lapses into over-explanation. It shows us ‘what really happened’ in a manner akin to a tutorial.
Apart from making a stunning visual, the lead pair has also put on a good show. Rampal as Rahul is suave and understated, providing a good veil for his character’s intentions. He leaves behind his wooden-faced days to excel even in scenes that require him to be intense and angry. Singh is fluent in both parts of her role — as a budding professional and later, a mature and motivated ad-woman.
The supporting cast also comes up with decent performances. Naval is convincing as a puzzled interrogator and her confusion is shared by the audience.
Inkaar’s songs, while being good, are repeated to the point of tedium. This, along with a sepia-toned revisiting of Rahul’s childhood, could have been avoided.
The camera work is incisive, probing the characters through extreme close-ups during the interrogation and hinting at murky truths with blurry images. In scenes of confrontation outside the conference room, it is lopsided and restless.
The dialogues make no attempt to preach and Inkaar never takes an overt stand. The film does prompt some discussion when it prods the line between casual flirting and harassment or ambition and arrogance. It also fleetingly addresses the callous attitude often seen in sexual harassment cases when the ad agency’s top officials have a heated discussion to suppress the matter, and when a female lawyer tells Maya that her best option is to accept compensation.
All in all, Inkaar is a thoroughly acceptable fare as an examination of murky human emotions within the slick confines of a corporate office.
