Ghazi (Tamil) Review - Right on the money

PUBLISHED DATE : 17/Feb/2017

Ghazi (Tamil) Review - Right on the money

 Ghazi (Tamil) Review - Right on the money

Bharath Vijayakumar 


War films are a routine commodity in Hollywood. Indian films rarely get into this zone. And even if they do, there is this constant dilemma whether to try and pander to a wider section of the audience by fitting in the regular check boxes of mainstream cinema or to focus solely on the plot. Delightfully Ghazi opts for the latter.


Plot:


The disclaimer at the start reads that this is a fictious enhancement/modification, based on true incidents that happened in 1971, when the Indian and Pakistani navel forces fought underwater.

Cast:


Kay Kay Menon is absolutely brilliant as the emotionally hardened Captain for whom brain always supersedes the heart. For a character that puts up a stone face due to his past it takes some talent to have us emotionally involved with him. And all this happens with absolutely no theatrics. Atul Kulkarni and Rana chip in with credible performances. The trio never plays a false note.

Direction:


The best part of the film is the steadfast focus right from the start. The setting looks authentic. The soldiers are not shown too uptight nor we get to see too much of their personal side. There are very brief emotional arcs that touch a chord but the restraint to keep them in check is what makes Ghazi all the more special. Watch out for the scene where Kay Kay Menon interacts with a child. He shows his humane side. You sense that the scene might go a little overboard but it only proves you wrong. There are few technical aspects with respect to the operation of the submarine that you seem to follow and there are a few which go over your head. The confidence in the maker in not resorting to spoon feed the audience is a pleasant surprise. Finally the film shows the Pakistani soldiers as opponents in a battle and does not reduce them to foul mouthed villains. This is the biggest takeaway from this film. Save a very few scenes that are slightly hampered by obvious budget constraints, Ghazi is one terrific attempt.

 

Bottomline:


An engaging underwater war actioner that is right on the money.


Rating: 3.5/5

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