Keerthi Chakra

WOW!!! that was my first response after the film. Its definitely one of the best war movie ever made in India. I'm personally a big fan of War movies. Till this date there wasn't many movies with army in prime focus in India. What we had just melodramatic pathetic Hindi junks with a ton of heroins and heroes and a big tank of tears... There are some exceptions like Tango Charlie which is an all army film. And now we have Keerthi chakra.

The film is entirely happening in Kashmir. It starts as flashback of Sandhya (Gopika) wife of Jai. From the very first scene to the very last scene its Commando Operations, whats actually happening in Kashmir actually. Mohanlal is Major Mahadevan a great military commando with a great courage and a great heart. Jai(Jeevan) is his buddy pair, who is the assistant and bodyguard in the team itself for Major. He is a courageous and chocolate boy in the troop. Who is just married and is called back to army just after two days after marriage.

Shammi Thilakan is an egoistic character who wants to be buddy pair of Major mahadevan and is jealous of Jai. Sai Kumar is the caring senior officer of Major Mahadevan. And Spadikam George is the officer coming from Delhi to carry out operations in Kashmir, and actually on a pleasure trip on his bulletproof vehicle over Kashmir. He is jealous of Major's smartness and capability. He even once threaten to complaint against Major in the film.

One of the scene i cant't forget is the cruel rape scene. That i think a bit too much, at least for kids.

This film contains many layers which shows many difficulties faced by army personals. They have to face human rights who threatens them to take actions against killing a surrendered criminal who killed school children. Then the incorporative Kashmiri police who fires bullets only for giving warning to terrorists, then incompatible senior officers,Wireless tigers, who sits in the AC room and want all the credit of operations. And at last the resistance from one's own home for security reasons.

The most interesting thing is not everybody is 'malayalees'. The film speaks and sings in Kashmiri Hindi Malayalam and Tamil. The music is great there are three songs, one Malayalam one Tamil, and one Kasmiri.

The films Technical detailing is great. The cinematography by Tirru is great and is then again beautified using Digital Intermediate. The sound is great that even the wind in the hills blows directly to your ear in theater and the bullets omg they sounds so clear and real.

And the director himself comes as a tea boy Appukuttan in the film...;) Oh i forgot this film has footages from Afghanisthan. That seems to be shot in a DV and converted to film coz its a bit sluggish. The villain is from Afghan in real life and reel life.

Overall this is a great Indian movie everyone can be proud of. When the movie is finished the thrilled crowd stood up and it was applause for some five minutes and then followed by Bharat Matha Ki Jai and Jai for Keerthi Chakra and Lalettan. That was really heart touching.

I give this 8/10 in Indian Standards not in international. We still have to move a lot to catch Bridge on the River Kwai or Saving Privat Ryan...

The subject matter was good, direction was OK. Mohanlal was efficient in his role as a Major. The acting of the supporting actors was amateurish at best. The casting director and director should be held responsible for this debacle. Hawaldar Jai was terrible, he stood out like a sore thumb with his poor histrionics. He did not look the part nor did he move like a soldier. There was a scene where a satellite feed was required of the skirmish with the militants and they were showing it from a camera angle. Satellite is located hundred of miles in the sky so the only angle is from above.It was quite an embarrassing moment. Audience these days are matured and they recognize when one is trying to pull wool over their eyes. The Director is a Major so the story could be out of his personal experiences. No problem there, but the movie is only as good as its actors and Director. So if Major Ravi is going for any other projects he should pay more attention to the casting.

I must say this is a very good movie indeed. But I don't think there is anything exceptional about it. The movie is very reality based. Its like showing a few days out of the life of an Indian Army commando. The commando operation scenes are very well shot. Mohanlal has done his part very well. Jiva also has done well.

Though some fall-backs of a débutant director is quite evident in Major Ravi, he has pulled off this movie decently well. His personal experiences as an Army commando is evident in the way the some scenes are shot in the film. I felt that the commando scenes of this film was shot in a more or less original style.

But what makes the film worthwhile is the message that it tries to convey. In short this film is worth a watch.

Aaran is one of the movies where you find the loop holes in Indian Cinema. Here is one good example to show how excellent writers, directors and actors succumb to the producers. Here is one of the most wonderful actors, Mohanlal, acting in a movie about a real story in Kashmir. The seriousness of the film is slaughtered with sub standard comic scenes and songs. There is this character, Havaldar Jaykumar, who in reality, is the son of the producer of the film. Hence, he doesn't have a hair cut despite his officer asking him to do so. This kid doesn't know what is acting and he is the "hero" of the movie. God Help Indian Cinema with such producers.

This movie is a pathetic display of what happens in Kashmir. A sensible viewer can intuitively understand the constraints of such wonderful writers, actors and directors who want to share their real life experiences. But the unfortunate part is that a movie about the highest ranks in Indian Militia turns out to be a pathetic display that only makes one think that the movie was stupid.

We should oust such producers in the film industry and pave way for good cinema.