Biopics are tricky. You have a ready-made story in someone’s life, but there is a fine line between taking creative liberties and whitewashing the subject. Sanju (2018), based on actor Sanjay Dutt's life, faced criticism for blurring the lines. Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi tries to walk it, but does it succeed?
Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi story
Directed by Ravindra Gautam and based on Shantanu Gupta’s book The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, the film follows Ajey (Anant Joshi) running a bus in his hometown. Local conflicts push his father to send him for higher studies, and college politics soon disillusion him. He finds refuge in Mahant Avaidyanath’s (Paresh Rawal) ashram, and the story traces his rise to become Yogi Adityanath and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi review
The first half moves smoothly and benefits from a strong cast. The writing by Dilip Bachchan Jha and Priyank Dubey is competent. The second half falters, turning into a catalogue of Yogi Ji’s life and achievements rather than a compelling story. Editor Manan Sagar could have tightened it to make the film more engaging.
Cinematography by Vishnu Rao is solid, capturing the hills and the shift to the ashram with clarity and style. The background score works well in the first half, but becomes screechy and overbearing as the character rises in power.
{{/usCountry}}Cinematography by Vishnu Rao is solid, capturing the hills and the shift to the ashram with clarity and style. The background score works well in the first half, but becomes screechy and overbearing as the character rises in power.
{{/usCountry}}On the performance front, Anant Joshi clearly gives the role his all. He plays Ajey with the same sincerity he brought to Pritam Pandey in 12th Fail, delivering the required emotions in measured doses. Paresh Rawal is equally effective, bringing gravitas to Mahant Avaidyanath. The supporting cast also delivers convincing performances throughout.
Overall, Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi has its moments, particularly in the first half and in the performances, but it struggles under the weight of its own ambition. The second half’s exhaustive detailing of Yogi Ji’s achievements dilutes the narrative, leaving the film more informative than engaging. With tighter editing and a more focused approach, it could have been a compelling biopic; as it stands, it is earnest but uneven.
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