Pukaar

By Mushtaq Shiekh

Ratings: *  *  *  *  * (Bravo)

If I were to just go by the film hoardings that are put all over the city, I would certainly give the movie a miss (you call it consumer pattern). But luckily, there was a preview and I got my hands on one of the better movies in recent times. Total paisa vasool, I wanted to jump and yell in my seat while watching the film. But decorum and other stupid restrictions held me back.

Just when you erase Raj Kumar Santoshi from your favourite list, he emerges with this extremely thrilling fare! The film is just right. No screw-ups, whatsoever.

Anil Kapoor is an army officer and sticks to his job like gunpowder does in a bullet. He has a childhood buddy called Anjali (Madhuri Dixit), but no mushy mushy Dil to Pagal Hais happen in this film. (Thank God!) There is also a dreaded terrorist (Danny Denzongpa) and the film revolves around these three characters. Oh, yes! There is Namrata Shirodkar too in the movie. Anil Kapoor has a glad eye for Namrata Shirodkar, but unfortunately Madhuri Dixit goes weak in the knees at the drop of his name. And when she gets to know that the love of her life is actually singing songs with Miss India, she has other plans! What she ends up doing forms the crux of the film. Telling more about the plot would be unfair. All one can add here is an earnest plea ...go and watch the film. You will not regret your decision.

The film has a winner in the Que Sera song, not only because of its commercial scales, but also because of its cinematic excellence. Some dialogues like "burkha pehanke ladte ho", "saath din de do...nekal nekal ke marengey" hit Pakistan below the belt. And every Indian worth his salt is gonna fall for the claptrap! Bravo! Bravo!

Great locales, amazing cinematography, tight script and screenplay and very sensible direction (not necessarily in that order) make one go gaga over this espionage caper. All stars for Anil Kapoor for his stunning performance. In the drunken scene, the man redefined the very best that he has ever given the silver screen. Hritik Roshan better watch out ... Anil Kapoor is here to stay.Madhuri Dixit, in other words, should be called a Goddess. She is so good that you want to reach out and give her an award. She shouldn't even bother about the silly film awards ... she has the national award coming her way. And the ones who wanted to shoo her away after her marriage should go home and peel a grape. For she is phenomenal in this film.

Three cheers for Raj Kumar Santoshi, because it's finally the victory of the director. We pardon the man for all the re-shooting; pardon the man for everything. Here's also doffing the hat to Boney Kapoor, as he stood by this magnum opus. We have heard that it cost the man around 28 crores and one must admit, every bit of it shows. The special effects are so mind blowing that one can safely say one has not seen stuff like that in Hindi cinema. (Don't miss the fifteen minutes of sizzling effects.) Somebody stop me, otherwise I will just go on and on and on!

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