Lamhaa - Review

National award winner Rahul Dholakia (read:Parzania) returns for his second venture with an ensemble cast boasting of Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher and Bipasha Basu. Does this film do more than umpteen other Kashmir-Terrorism related projects?
While the premise might sound similar, this one is a Gritty, Hard-hitting, non-gloss affair.

After the Islamic Terrorists drove out the Hindu pandits from the Kashmir valley in 1988-89, there had been unrest there for 20 years owing to the lack of safety of the locals. The military intelligence got a whiff of a huge operation in the planning, one that would shake the country to its roots. They send in Vikram(Sanjay Dutt) under a secret alias to investigate the matter. He encounters Haji(Anupam Kher) a top separatist leader, his firebrand protege Aziza(Bipasha)and a young leader Aatif(Kunaal Kapoor)who wants to go against all odds to have an election in the valley.
The story deals with how Vikram tracks down the operation and with the help of Aziza, tries to avert a disaster.

From the onset, the film has a strikingly dark,eerie feel to it, which goes very well with the theme. Being extensively shot in Kashmir, it also lends a level of authenticity.
The first half of the film is a bit patchy. While it starts off on a perfect note, the narrative slows down considerably, but the second half is power packed and keeps you gripped.

The camerawork by James Fowlds is simply brilliant. Fresh & into-the-action, it gives a very Bourne like feel and is a joy to experience. The music too is superb, albeit a little forced into the narrative. Production designer Wasiq Khan & background score by Sanjoy Chowdhury also deserve a mention.

Of the performances, Bipasha Basu springs a surprise in a portrayal which could easily be classified as her career best. She emotes magically and her low-makeup look is perfect. Sanjay Dutt has a tremendous screen presence and lends his vintage panache to the character. Anupam Kher is spot on as always. Mahesh Manjerekar impresses in a fleeting cameo.

Director Rahul Dholakia serves a decent dish. He executes an age old idea with style and realism. Tightening the script a bit more would do wonders.

All in all, Lamhaa is an endearing watch that might not work for all. It is not your run-of-the-mill Sanju baba film, but a serious political-thriller that has its moments. Definitely a one time watch.

Rating: 3.5/5