Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Madras Cafe’, starring John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri and Raashi Khanna, is a taut political thriller.Political, tense, finally explosive, Madras Cafe is no picnic in the neighborhood park. Major Vikram Singh (Abraham) lands in Sri Lanka, heading RAW’s covert operations. It’s time now to get off the “Chennai Express” and get into “Madras Cafe” for a cup of the compelling.
We need a reality check. And we need to regain a sense of history in Bollywood cinema which seems lost in the hoary art of street side tamasha, glorified and aggrandized by processes of cinema tics that are perceived to be the elixir of pop culture.
Madras Cafe’s true star is its story which builds up to an agonizing end. It brings to life the Lankan war which many viewers were too young to have known. It highlights India’s ambiguous role, moving sensitively, taking no sides, except those of relationships involving respect – but no romance – between Vikram and Jaya, duty, victory and loss.
Its second half grows more fraught and taut, conspiracies and compulsions becoming clearer. John stays low-key and competent as Vikram while supporting actors, like agents Bala, SP and Vasu, stand out. Restrained performances by the LTF suicide bombers are chilling.
Not Shoojit Sircar. Not “Madras Cafe”. Not John Abraham. What a courageous producer and actor John has proven himself to be! More of that later. But first the plot.
The cinematography is remarkable, shots of huge naval warships, helicopters floating across hills, sunshine on a deadly sea, haunting. Commendably, Sircar never overindulges in gore, keeping Madras Cafe a shifting site of mental violence. Madras Cafe deserves an extra half-star for guts, going for the gunpowder – but with a restrained hand.
The movie gets 4 Star for extraordinary plot and acting.
Note: If you like typical Hindi movie masala, unrealistic action or melodrama, this movie is not for you.