MOVIE REVIEW: THE GHAZI ATTACK ( U/A)
What comes first to your mind, when you listen to the word ’War Movies’? - Sentimental background of soldiers, brimming with over-the-top patriotism, unnecessary romantic subplots and lengthy songs which try to force emotions just put in to make us feel guilty about being civilians. Well, The Ghazi Attack cuts the crap and brings forth a realistic and a smart war movie - much different and better from any typical Bollywood war movie.
The film revolves around the mysterious sinking of Pakistani sea-monster PNS Ghazi against the backdrop of Indo-Pak 1971 war and Bangladesh Liberation War. The film makes it very clear in an elaborate disclaimer that it does not claim any historical accuracy and the actual event is subject to conflicting interpretations by different people. But this movie feels so raw, that it makes you want to believe that this might actually be what happened in reality.
The movie start with a thrilling narrative by THE Amitabh Bachchan. It follows an extremely gripping screenplay which lets you be on the edge of the seats. It entirely focuses on the daredevil act of INS soldiers in Submarine S-21 in attempt to locate and torpedo the Ghazi.
The initial differences between the soldiers, the style in which the submarine functions, and many technical nuances of underwater devices have been portrayed brilliantly. The set of strategies followed on either side at critical moments becomes a perfect ingredient for a nerve-wracking thriller.
As for the performances, Kay Kay Menon and Atul Kulkarni deliver the most power-packed performance as the aggressive captain and the ship’s executive officer respectively. Rana Daggubati looks fierce but falls flat in many crucial scenes. Taapsee Pannu is absolutely wasted and could have been totally avoided. The casting of extras is poor as none of them look like the Indian Navy troops. The Pakistani Naval officer are not shown as the typical bad guys but still they lack the touches of iniquity.
Since the entire film is based in a submarine, to capture the histrionics in such a constricted place using a variety of camera shots and angles is a huge task very well executed by the cinematographer. The film drags a bit in the second half but nevertheless, is a compelling watch.
Kudos to debutant director Sankalp Reddy to put this untold story of the heroes beneath the land on celluloid. Overall, barring a few drawbacks, this film is a must-watch for all as nothing like this has ever been seen in Indian cinema.
P.S. - This review is dedicated to the legend Om Puri ( 1950-2017) who plays a small part in the movie.
©Filmvorführung