Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 21: The patriotic fever is on full 'Josh', at least within the four walls of over 2,000 multiplexes across India. According to trade analysts, "the film is expected to attract large crowds in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations".
The star cast of the film led by Vicky Kaushal is already a house hold name. It is not for the first time a movie has been produced on border action by Indian filmmakers. Bollywood directors have been repeatedly treating Indian audience with their craft by bringing out different shades of personalities of a serving army officer.
Some excellent movies on 1962 war, 1965-1971 war and more recently Kargil war were produced in the past and attracted huge response at the box office. What makes film stand out in the long list of movies? The simple answer is the new format in which this movie has been presented before the audience. It captures the imagination of the audience and the entire nation and brings back the memories of the real surgical strike across LoC.
Of course, the director of the film has taken some cinematic liberties to tell the story on screen but in the bargain, he has managed to evoke strong passions among the audience who walk away with their heads held high. The timing of the movie's release is suspect. We are in the buildup to the polls, there is no doubt what Uri is intended to do: to tell us that patriotism and nationalism, those stellar virtues which will cement 'a new India' vests in these worthies (PM Narendra Modi and their faithful alone).
The film is divided into chapters. It starts off a year before the September 18, 2016 attacks on Indian soldiers at Uri. Gadually it leads to "surgical strikes" on terror factories across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Ladakh.
The film opens up showing Indian soldiers being ambushed in Manipur, followed by retaliation by the forces on terror bases across the India - Myanmar border in the North East.
Prime Minister is shown passing necessary instructions to his Army Chief and National Security Advisor, at a dinner meeting, to organize his posting in New Delhi so that the army officer can serve both Mother Nation and look after his ailing mother. In the meantime, Pakistani terrorist outfits carry out an attack at Uri Army Base camp in Kashmir.
The film gets more intense from here on. As Vihaan's childhood friend and brother-in-law Captain Karan Kashyap (Mohit Raina) along with some other fellow army mates are martyred in this attack he seeks permission from the Army Chief to stage a come back and lead the attack teams. In reality, none of the officers were martyred in close combat with the terrorists in Uri.
The film scores higher on the technical front than creative. The combat sequences, ambush, gunfire, fistfights, sniper shots are realistically shot. The camera tactfully follows the soldiers like a shadow. Sound effects are crucial to combat film storytelling, and this war drama uses it effectively for most parts. The sounds of weapons and bullets are captured well but some unnecessary sounds (loud whispers, noisy footsteps) beat the very purpose of a covert mission.
Indeed, film Uri a fitting tribute to our committed, disciplined and determined Army. |
