Lakshya: Entertaining!

But if you go to see Lakshya as a war film, you are unlikely to be disappointed. The battle scenes in the movie directed by Farhan Akhtar, all of two films old, are, I daresay, the best you have seen in an Indian film.

Of course, if you are not the sort that enjoys war movies, don't get put off.. Watch Lakshya as normal drama and, more likely than not, you will still enjoy it. Think of all the Hindi war movies you can remember. Then, cast them all aside when you watch Lakshya.

What most ordinary moviegoers want to see in a film, more than technical wizardry, editing, lighting, special effects, choreography, and what-not that the 'cinematically literate' like to discuss, is a good tale well told. That is just what you get in Farhan's second film.

But the supporting cast comprising the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Amrish Puri in a special appearance, Sharad Kapoor, Boman Irani as Karan's father, Raj Zutshi, Sushant Singh and Nawab Shah give the film a real fillip with their finely nuanced performances. To be honest, Amitabh Bachchan is miscast as a colonel on the frontlines; he looks far too aged to be a field commander. In fact, he looks well past the age of retirement. But you cannot fault his performance.

Lakshya emphasises how important a proper storyline is to a good movie. Innumerable are the Hindi films that start off with a bang and end in a whimper, giving you the sense that the writer and director, having brought the tale to a particular pass, did not quite know how to conclude it. But not with Lakshya. Sure, the film does drag at times, and seeing its length, a shade over three hours, you get the feeling that maybe another 15 minutes or so ought to have been excised. But Javed and Farhan do not lose control of the story and the buildup to the climax is gradual but relentless.

The action scenes, as mentioned earlier, are taut and realistic, and have clearly had the benefit of the film's army consultants, just like the part dealing with Karan's training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The sequence in which Lt Shergill and his band scale a sheer cliff to surprise the Pakistani intruders on a peak in the Kargil region alone is worth the price of a ticket.

The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is of a decent standard, which is the least you expect of them. The songs are not exactly superhit material, though Agar main kahoon or Main aisa kyon hoon could prove to be otherwise.

The dialogues, by Javed Akhtar, are good, not your usual filmi speeches. The humour in certain situations is conveyed quite well through the dialogues.

In short, you won't be disappointed!