Jun 30, 2004 01:31 PM
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(Updated Jun 30, 2004 01:31 PM)
He?s a POW in Pakistan. With a biwi back home in India who believes that he will return (mere Major saheb aayenge), and a son who decides to track him down from the enemy camp. We are talking of Amitabh Bachchan in a power packed performance (as usual), Tanuja in an abbreviated role and Akshaye Khanna making faces (as usual).
Major sahab and his peers had for 33 years tried to make attempts to breakaway from captivity in some desolate prison in Pakistan. Unsuccessfully. One day, a bearded comrade (Rajendra Gupta) does get away as far as the streets of Karachi. He dies but not before posting a letter to Tanuja informing her of Major sahab?s days in Pak prison.
Akshaye beta lands up in Pakistan. Illegally. How he does it ?. DAMNIT! And starts making his plans of rescuing papa dearest.
The Pak government gets a whiff of trouble in paradise (read Pakistan). Immediately, the POWs are transferred to another jail. A case of ?from frying pan to fire?. If the previous jailor was mean, this one ---- Suhail ---- (Kay Kay) is demonic. He plants a spy (Raj Zutshi) in the midst of the prisoners and keeps on trapping them. Roasting them. Whipping them.
And then Khan (Sanjay Dutt) arrives. Who is he? Why is he with the POWs? Don?t even start to ask questions like these. You sure won?t get any answers. But yes, Khan?s entry pumps up proceedings. Total paisa vasool. He escapes from prison. Meets Akshaye beta. Goes back to prison. And helps dad and gang escape. Bang! Bang! More bang!
Deewaar is an action packed adventure thriller. There is a lot of action. No doubt about it. Adventure forms the base of the movie. Yet, it fails to thrill you. Why? Simple, the script writers (Sriram Raghavan, Milan Luthria, and Gaurang Doshi) failed to put it up (pun intended). The screenplay is full of glaring loopholes. Too many to even list here. The dialogues are average. The music ?. forget it.
Yet, the movie is engrossing. Simply because of a certain Amitabh Bachchan who is beyond doubt the best actor walking in the studios of Bollywood. Sanjay Dutt sparkles like a diamond. Solid performance bhai. Akshaye Khanna hams it up. Amrita Rao tries to seduce us in a rain song ? but sorry sister ? I?m not moved. Kay Kay is good as the mean-sheen baddie but his role lacks depth. The rest of the cast including Tanuja are first rate.
Go for Deewaar. It may not be a classic like the previous Bachchan starrer, but is good till it lasts.
