Great Indian Movies - Aamir. Review on Aamir

When it comes to last two Indian generations, Modern India is often facing problems within themselves in terms of conflict of values, conflict of secularism, conflict of fundamentalism, conflicts of progressive mindset. Many religious communities takes these conflicts to the another level. When it comes to religion, on one hand, traditional Hindu or Muslim worries about their religion's status in modern India. Other hand, modern Hindu or Muslim cares about economic growth and secularism in India. Often their values clashes together and results of their conflicts are none but violence, death, and destruction.

Raj Kumar Gupta’s Aamir (2008) is one such story depicting modern Indian Muslim trapped by Muslim fundamentalist and end up being labeled as terrorist for no good reason.

Story

One dreadful day, Aamir Ali, Muslim scholar, modern progressive family man, migrates back to India from London. His problems starts right away when he lands at Mumbai’s international airport. At the Airport, he is hassled by Airport Authorities. Outside of the airport, he was expecting his family which wasn't there to greet him.

At the Airport, after his unsuccessful tries to contact his family, a stranger on the motorbike hands him over the mobile phone. On the other end of the mobile, an elderly Muslim tells him to follow his instructions and if he is trying to contact police or refuses to follow his instructions, his family will be perished. Soon game of unknown journey starts for Aamir Ali. After having conversations with elderly man, Aamir soon realizes that he is being trapped by Muslim fundamentalist with extreme hate for non-Muslims, questioning his modern progressive values, questioning him being a Muslim, and his role in Muslim community.

For the sake of his family, Aamir is getting dragged deeper and deeper into major conspiracy. Why fundamentalist Muslim questions progressive Muslim? What does conspirator wants from Aamir? What kind of tasks Aamir has to do to save his family? What will happen to Aamir?

Analysis

On first look, Aamir is a simple film. On surface, it may be nerve-biting thriller but underneath first layer, it’s a gut-wrenching cinema questioning religion extremism. On surface, most of the film seems centered around the protagonist having a one fine bad day but as film progresses, we along with protagonist realizes that everything is well planned, well thought, and well executed conspiracy.

What makes Aamir as one of the best movies of Indian cinema this year is its powerful multi-layered social messages. The conversations between chief conspirator and main protagonist exhibit what Indian Muslims feels in modern India. Many of Muslim extremists blames young progressive Muslim youth for turning against their own religion where extremist feels they are unfavorable sons of India, they haven't been treated well by Indian government, and only way to react those situations is violence - bomb blasts in busy metropolitan area killing innocent people doesn't matter whether they are Hindus or Muslims. At the same time, modern Muslim (or Hindu) youth with progressive thoughts, wants to help government and society in general and live family-centric life. Best part about these conversations in Aamir film are it takes place at right moments and shows us real face of what's going on in modern youth and religion extremist mind.

Aamir has a highly thought-provoking climax. For some, it might be disappointing seeing main protagonist dead but for some it might be most fitting end of the film. I belong to later category where I felt director is brave enough to have a climax depicting triumph of human conscience over human emotions. Movie could have been either ended with bus blast or bomb blast in some open ground keeping Aamir alive but that would have raised more questions like Is Aamir being labeled as terrorist or What will Aamir do to save his family. Aamir's climax even raises more issues like role of Indian media and police's assumption of bomb blasts. Watching last couple of moments of the movies, Aamir successfully shows us that media is such a big part in spreading rumors like people involved in bomb-blasts as terrorists or suicide bombers, in reality, they might be part of corrupt system or puppet of religion extremism.

Although Aamir is only 90 minutes film, it scores on all the technical levels – Script, Screenplay, Soundtracks, Background Score, Camera Angles, and Art-direction. Watching Aamir I couldn't stop myself comparing RGV as director with Raj Kumar Gupta's control over his medium. Two things went totally wrong with Sarkar Raaj - Close-up Camera Angles and Background Score. If both of them irking viewers in Sarkar Raaj (Read FlyingElepant's review) then both of them outstanding in Aamir- Close-ups of all the pedestrians throughout the movie during chase on streets is extremely effective setting up how Aamir stands out among general public in Indian streets. At the same time, if constant 2 hour background score in Sarkar Raaj was headache prone, Aamir's background score in between conversation during chase elevates scenes to whole different level gripping viewers at the edge of their seats. Even though I haven't grown up in Mumbai, I have been always fascinated by its streets, galis, and chalis. Art direction of Mumbai streets, tiny galis, dirty suburbs is realistically top-notch. Just watch out for scenes like public restroom (Sandash) which stinks or empty gali (tiny streets) which shivers you and scares you like hell.

Aamir's brilliant soundtracks are continuation of what Anurag Kashyap (Creative Producer) started with his debut film. Paanch, Black Friday, No Smoking, and now Aamir have brilliant fusion compilations (Indian Rocks) elevating film's overall appeal. Although I am not a big fan of rock music genre, I have always enjoyed it in the films which gave me different yet pleasant experience. Music director, Amit Trivedi's songs like Ha Raham, Chakkar Ghumyo, Haara, Phas Gaya, and Ek Lau has brilliant catchy tunes composed with guitars and keyboards. If you are not listening to these songs while watching movie, it won't make sense at all even though you listen it dozens of times. But, in the film, they not only convey the situations perfectly but moves story ahead giving us glimpse of what's going on in the troubled mind of protagonist.

Last but not least, Aamir is the brilliant film for two promising debutants - director, Raj kumar Gupta and lead protagonist, Rajiv Khandelwal. Raj Kumar Gupta's direction is a top-notch and his script is tightly knitted realistic cinema. Being a TV actor, Rajeev's acting, his facial expressions, his confusing state of mind rendering Aamir's trauma instantly establishes him as one of the best in Indian cinema. After getting to know that even though he had offer from more than 10 well backed production houses, its heartening feeling that he picked the offbeat non-commercial film from debutant director to prove his acting credentials.

Conclusion

Overall, Watching Aamir is a wonderful experience. Majority of thrillers are made for thrill, only some of them are made to provoke your thoughts, stun you by asking questions, and Aamir is one such kind of thriller.