2019 has fairly few thought-provoking movies that are soon releasing. Over the centuries, many Bollywood movie makers have decided to take the nationalistic route and make nationalism-infused dramas. Talking about Vicky Kaushal‘s URI- The Surgical Strike we can say partisanship is the key to the emotions of the spectators and it can work for them too.
Uri: The Surgical Strike, starring Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Yami Gautam, Kirti Kulhari, and Mohit Raina.
Story: It is based on the September 2016 vengeance surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army in reaction to the terror attacks at Uri, the army base camp in Kashmir. Vicky plays the role of a keen soldier, Vihaan, who is known for his careful planning and planning in missions. After a positive mission, he wishes to retire from army life, as his mother needs him.
The plot isn’t entirely erratic; we know what will push Vihaan to take up the mission of the surgical strikes against the extremists.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, played by Rajit Kapur piously reminds him, ‘Desh bhi toh humari maa hai.’ ‘Desh bhakti’ and covert propaganda ahead of the 2019 elections resonate more sturdily than the background music sometimes.
Acting: Vicky Kaushal, who had an excellent year in 2018, starts 2019 with a boom. There are no criticisms about his acting, though at points you want to see more of Vicky’s acting than his action. Vicky does his best and works hard to push the film onward.
Kirti Kulhari, who made quite an influence with the film Pink, is sadly wasted here as the pilot of Vicky’s helicopter, who is just eager to prove, in her own words, her ‘desh-bhakti’.
Yami Gautam gives a rational performance but withdraws into the contextual quite often.
All in all, a great film to start off 2019 with.
