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        Mani Rathnam is perhaps the Sachin Tendulkar of Indian cinema —— a modern-day master, yet unsure about his place in the pecking order of all-time greats. Like the cloud of misgivings over Sachin's head as to whether he can come good at crunch times, there are also some doubters who remain unconvinced about Mani's ways in re-creating factual stories and real-life characters into convincing cinema verite. The general gist of comment against him is that Mani doesn't push the envelope hard and deep. In Iruvar, he chose the real intriguing story of MGR and Karunanidhi, yet left you feeling having consumed an incomplete meal as he slid tamely over the controversial aspects of the two protagonists (despite the fact that the real drama lay in those very same qualities). In Bombay, he again glossed tremulously over the Bal Thackeray-Shahi Imam contribution to the communal riots.

        There may be compelling, and very real, reasons for Mani to do what he did. But the bigger point is it gives the picture a sense of incompleteness.

        After watching Guru, the allegation against him is only going to be reinforced as he again comes short when the push comes to shove, so to speak.

        Guru is no bio-pic on Dhirubhai Ambani. But it is doubtless a story of him. It is in balancing between the two stools that Mani slips. The story of Gurubhai (like that of Dhirubhai) is rags to riches, a kind that every second film in our industry is. So what should set apart Guru is his verisimilitude to Dhirubhai. And this story needs to be told with all the warts. Perhaps that is the story. Ambani's success owes, in no small measure, to the way he was able to get beyond men and the rules set out by them. This corporate success of a man is not real corporate success. Again, regretfully, Mani comes up short in capturing this essential fine print.

        But what Mani compensates with is in his ability to capture the warm and seamless emotions between a man and woman. Mani is a master in letting us have a sharp peep into the mind of men and women tied in bonds of love and other related soft-focus emotions. Here too, he gives us a glimpse of what makes a master manipulator like Guru tick and what give him the sharp edge at the battlefield of business. Guru derives his emotional sustenance for fierce fights from his fond fidelity to Sujatha. This sub-plot in many ways undoes his larger failure in clinching the argument for Guru.

        The story is about a village boy who dreams big to become the biggest businessman (in polyester, petrochemical, fabrics) of the country. How he goes about chasing that dream and emerges a victor despite subverting the system to his advantage is the broad story.

        In a larger scheme too, Mani has re-invented his Velu bhai of Nayagan as Guru bhai. If Velu's mantra was nalu perukku nalladhu seiyanumna edhuvum thappu illae then Dhiru's credo is (in rough translation) 'rules can be broken for creating wealth for the public'.

        But what worked in Nayagan was the convincing evolution of the character wherein circumstances metamorphose a small-time village boy into a don with a strong will and a social heart. But here Guru is thrust upon us almost with the tag, 'he is like that only'. His vision for business, and the dream to make it big, though understandable, stands loosely with no moral props.

        In many ways, Abishek Bachchan almost bridges these blips in the characterization with a bravura show. The young man has understood the impulse and inspiration behind a man like Guru and neatly filled in the gaps in the narrative. He shows enough variations and figures out the complexities involved all through in recapturing Guru. His warmth-filled relationship with Sujatha (Aishwarya) makes the movie what it is — a tale of human strengths and weakness. Aishwarya, though looking slightly wan, brings all the necessary emotions to play.

        Mithun Chakraborthy as the hard as nails press baron is very convincing. His is believed to be a take off on Ramnath Goenka's life. The blow-hot-blow-cold relationship between Guru is interesting. Mani has certainly changed the real-life script from here on. But you get the feeling that he has not fully utilised the possible scenarios. Madhavan, as a kind of Arun Shourie-Gurumoorthy combo scribe, is very restrained and his love relationship with the multiple sclerosis-affected daughter of Mithun (Vidya Balan) is warm (Again reflecting Mani's strength in showcasing such feelings).

        Rehman's music is a major strength but not his re-recording that fail to whip up the ambient mood (as he did memorably in movies like Bombay or Alai Payuthey). Rajiv Menon's camera is okay without being extraordinary. Rajiv could have done better than the feverish movements that he has come up with in the last scene where Guru argues his own case in front of the inquiry committee.

        Guru on the whole is, as we said, like a Sachin Tendulkar innings in recent times — plenty of promise and richness which is belied by the overall impact.