'Paltan' Review: JP Dutta's latest offering is an engaging war drama that evokes nationalistic sentiments

Film: Paltan (War-Action-History)

Critic’s Rating: 3/5

Cast: Arjun Rampal, Sonu Sood, Jackie Shroff, Gurmeet Choudhary, Harshvardhan Rane, Luv Sinha, Siddhanth Kapoor

Direction: JP Dutta

Duration: 2 hours, 34 minutes

Language: Hindi (U/A)

Story:

The film brings to screen the important chapter in the history of Independent India when our forces fought off Chinese aggression to capture Sikkim, an independent kingdom, in 1967. After the 1962 war, in which Indian soldiers lost heavily to the surprise attack from the neighbour’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army), the Rajput battalion fought bravely, forcing the aggressor to call for a ceasefire.

Review:

Writer-filmmaker JP Dutta wastes no time in beginning the narration with the attack of Chinese forces that took Indian jawans by surprise in 1962, the ‘victory’ of which emboldened our neighbour to continue their psychological battle to attempt conquering Sikkim, an independent kingdom, in 1967 by capturing the strategic Nathu La and Cho La passes along the border. Unlike the first two films of his war trilogy, Border and LOC Kargil, this time around, the filmmaker also looks at the battle politics the neighbour used to intimidate our soldiers and how the CO (Commanding Officer) Lt Col Rai Singh Yadav (Arjun Rampal) of Indian forces matches their offensive, much to their chagrin.

Apart from a skirmish or two, the first half focusses on the mind games played by Rai Singh and his Chinese counterpart, while also telling the family story of his paltan, comprising Maj Bishant Singh (Sonu Sood), Maj Harbhajan Singh (Harshvardhan Rane) and Capt Prithvi Singh Dagar.

It’s the post interval when it becomes a trademark JP Dutta war film, after Rai Singh’s men start laying a more permanent fence along the LAC (Line of Actual Control) and the Chinese take serious objections to it. And once the aggressor calls to ‘open fire’, there’s no holding back for the Indian jawans or the filmmaker for that matter.

Like their characters who lead from the front, Arjun and Sonu put their hearts in bringing to life the real heroes they portray, while Harshwardhan essays the Sikh Major with a great deal of zeal and passion. Gurmeet goes a bit over the top playing Capt Nagar. Luv Sinha is sincere as Lt Attar Singh and Siddhant Kapoor as Havaldar Parashar, the battalion’s intel guy who also serves as their Chinese interpreter is okay. Jackie Shroff as Maj Gen Sagat Singh lends due support.

Art directors Amrish Patange and Dayanidhi Patturajan have done a good job of convincingly recreating Nathu La of 1967 in Ladakh. Cinematographers Shailesh Awasthhi and Nigam Bomzan have beautifully captured the rocky terrain surrounded b snow-peaked mountains.

Javed Akhtar’s lyrics for Raat Kitni and Main Zinda Hoon, set to tune by composer Anu Malik move you emotionally, just like Sandese Aate Hain and Toh Chalu did in Border or Main Nahin Bhi Rahoon and Ek Saathi Aur Bhi Tha in LOC Kargil.

Verdict:

Paltan is definitely worth a watch as it relives India's 1967 triumph over China and rouses our patriotic feelings.