I haven't been compelled to write anything, let alone a movie review in eons. And then last Saturday night what I saw at Jade cinema in Singapore's Shaw tower got me restless. A movie comes out of Bollywood which knocks my socks off. Its called D-Day. I was expecting to see a good movie after having checked out the ratings and browsing some reviews cursorily. But I didn't in my wildest dreams imagine that a shocker was in store for me. Nikhil Advani has made a movie that India can be proud of. Kal Ho Na Ho looks childish compared to this mind blowing gem of a thriller done with great flamboyance. The very first few scenes get you by your collar and pull you into the mesmerizing world of espionage, covert operations, assassins and the military intelligence. Is it Bollywood's answer to Zero Dark Thirty? Absolutely. In terms of content, style, narration, technique and entertainment value it is up there with the slickest of Hollywood blockbusters. And when was the last time we made a movie on this subject which appealed to any IQ level above 80? Never.
Intelligence head Ashwini kumar played by Nasser is itching to get the most wanted man in India (Dawood Ibrahim) out of Pakistan with the help of a team he has formed against the wishes of the powers that be. He is the intelligence guy we all wish we had more of in India. And the southie accent adds a very real likeable flavour to his persona.
Arjun Rampal as the intense tough as nails commando is the icing on the cake. The sheer physicality and the cold bloodedness that he brings to the character is brilliant. We have seen so many bravura performances by Irrfan khan but you cant help feel strongly for the subtlety and vulnerability he infuses in the barber cum spy he plays with such effortless ease. Huma Qureshi is clearly the find of the year. A woman explosives expert working for RAW needs a seasoned actor and she is game for it. Shruti hasan as the paki prostitute is good but has a long way to go. Finally the evil D is dished out marvellously by Rishi Kapoor.
Do the daredevils under cover manage to drag the big evil D back to India? You gotta to watch this finely crafted roller coaster ride of an actioner with panache to know that. Regardless of the climax the movie is riveting to the core. Way to go Nikhil.
Intelligence head Ashwini kumar played by Nasser is itching to get the most wanted man in India (Dawood Ibrahim) out of Pakistan with the help of a team he has formed against the wishes of the powers that be. He is the intelligence guy we all wish we had more of in India. And the southie accent adds a very real likeable flavour to his persona.
Arjun Rampal as the intense tough as nails commando is the icing on the cake. The sheer physicality and the cold bloodedness that he brings to the character is brilliant. We have seen so many bravura performances by Irrfan khan but you cant help feel strongly for the subtlety and vulnerability he infuses in the barber cum spy he plays with such effortless ease. Huma Qureshi is clearly the find of the year. A woman explosives expert working for RAW needs a seasoned actor and she is game for it. Shruti hasan as the paki prostitute is good but has a long way to go. Finally the evil D is dished out marvellously by Rishi Kapoor.
Do the daredevils under cover manage to drag the big evil D back to India? You gotta to watch this finely crafted roller coaster ride of an actioner with panache to know that. Regardless of the climax the movie is riveting to the core. Way to go Nikhil.
