through the two hours and odd minutes that make up Major Ravi's new
film 'Kandahar'. Hasn't the commercialization of patriotic sentiments
gone way over the top?
The film that has Major Mahadevan (Mohanlal) embarking on his third
mission, post Keerhtichakra and Kurukeshetra, starts off in 2006. An
Air India flight that takes off from Mumbai is hijacked by a bunch of
Afghan terrorists who demand the release of their leader spending his
days in an Indian jail. Major Mahadevan is called into action, and
along with his sprightly group of commandoes headed by Surya (Ganesh
Venkataraman), he gets about his job in no time.
Unfortunately the aforesaid commando operation takes up about thirty
minutes post-interval, and what happens during the rest of the film?
The entire first half is spent on explaining to us as to how Surya who
has had pilot training always dreams of flying a plane. There are not
straight ways to get a job these days, he says and hence spends his
time getting into street fights to serve justice to the poor. Major
Mahadevan who happens to see one of his duels takes him into the army.
Off he goes to the Dehradun Training Camp where he is seen frog
jumping and doing sit ups and push ups as punishment for disobedience.
It's obvious that for those who have been waiting keenly to see major
Mahadevan cracking the whip on the terrorists, this would be a royal
disappointment. And where does Amitabh Bachchan come into the picture?
As Surya's dad Loknath Sharma, who is an exemplary teacher based in
Ooty. He is married to a Malayali (the gorgeous Sumalatha who is
unpardonably wasted in an absolutely trivial role), and the
conversations between dad and son could drive anyone nuts. Surya
speaks in Malayalam, while his dad promptly retorts in Hindi with
Malayalam subtitles.
Even the logical loopholes in the script are unbelievable, and the
dialogues unmoving. Mahadevan who plans to meet Loknath Sharma, asks
Surya who's at the training camp, as to what he would like to hand
over to his dad. Believe it or not, a pack of tea comes the reply. And
that too a man who lives in Ooty.
Once the plane gets hijacked there are several shots of the event
being covered by the media, the most important ones of which are seen
on Asianet, with the 15th year logo flashing a 2010 in all glory
behind!
The action bit that has been a major highlight in all of Ravi's films
takes a back seat in 'Kandahar' where the focus is on a father-son
relationship. When the action does take place, there are very few
moments that are worth remembering. There are instances aplenty, when
you cross your eyes in disbelief at what's happening.
Because, 'Kandahar' is not a reenactment of the Indian Airlines Flight
814 hijack by the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen that took place in 1999. This
is a fictional account of an event that had shaken up the Indian
subcontinent. Hence Major Mahadevan sees to it that the commando
operation does not end up a diplomatic failure as has been accused by
the Indian negotiators in real. He plays the sharp shooter, the brain
man and even the pilot who crash lands the plane to safety.
Major Ravi's film on the other hand, is hijacked by an utterly
disastrous script that doesn't even let his flight take off. It's a
sloppy film that falls par way down our anticipations and that
monumentally wastes two of the best actors Indian cinema has ever
seen.
http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/7397/malayalam/kandahar/2859/review.htm
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