Film: Kaabil
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Yami Gautam, Ronit Roy, Rohit Roy, Narendra Jha
What it's about:
When two filmmakers hailing from different schools come together for a common purpose, the result can either be deadly or devastating. Kaabil hits the bullseye purely because the combination of Rakesh Roshan (as producer) and Sanjay Gupta (as director) has worked brilliantly without one trying to creatively overpower the other.
Kaabil is all about revenge - a space that both Roshan and Gupta have excelled in, albeit in contrasting styles. This time, they come up with a film where style and content both complement each other in a film that's guaranteed to rouse your emotions.
Rohan Bhatnagar (Hrithik Roshan) is a visually challenged man who goes on a blind date (beautifully ironic) with a blind girl Supriya (Yami Gautam) and falls in love. They get married but soon after, she ends up dead. Rohan, frustrated by the system, decides to avenge her death. How he devises a plan and goes after the enemy despite his shortcomings, systematically destroying the bad guys is what this thrilling and delicious ride is all about.
What's good:
Kaabil is a formula film and at the same time, far removed from it. Revenge is one of Bollywood's favourite themes. Hrithik too has tasted success with it in Agneepath.
However, this time, there was the challenge of playing a blind man out to draw blood. The scene just before interval when a broken Bhatnagar turns into a man with a plan, will give you goosebumps. When you walk into Kaabil, you know it's about a blind man seeking revenge for his girl, but still it surprises you. You know what's coming and still it's impossible to resist.
Kaabil beautifully combines sentiment and action. The notion of a blind hero might be a contradiction in terms, but Hrithik pulls it off. What's interesting is that he has played Rohan Bhanagar as calm yet cold-blooded, and that combination is lethal.
In each film, the camera wanders on to Hrithik's abs and muscles. In Kaabil, it never leaves his face, and that's a masterstroke by Gupta. Yami compliments Hrithik well. The supporting cast have all delivered naturalistic performances. Narendra Jha as the senior cop stands out, and Ronit Roy is brilliant. Rape scenes are difficult to watch but the sensitive manner in which Sanjay Gupta has handled it, is something they should teach at film schools.
What's not:
The film begins slow. Too slow. When you have come to watch a thriller, you want the ride to begin. Instead one is lulled into a sense of ease with the romance and the songs, necessary perhaps, but it makes one restless. But once it takes off, there is no dull moment. The special effects in a couple of scenes will make you cringe. How the makers didn't see the artificiality of that, baffles the mind.
What to do:
Kaabil is old-school, emotional and forceful. And an absolute must for all Hrithik Roshan fans. And if you aren't his fan, you might feel differently after this film
Rating: **** (4 stars)
