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Kabul Express Has A Clear Path

APK | December 15, 2006

Rating: ***.25 (***** Very Good, **** Good, *** Fair, ** Average, * Bad)

Cast: Arshad Warsi, John Abraham, Salman Shahid, Hanif Humghum, Linda Arsenio and Others.
Action: Shyam Kaushal.
Art: Anjan Gajurel.
Cinematography: Anshuman Mahaley.
Editing: Amitabh Shukla.
Lyrics: Swaratmika Mishra, Aditya Dhar & Vijay Kumar.
Music: Raghav Sachar & Julius Packiam.
Story & Direction: Kabir Khan.
Presenter: Yash Chopra.
Producer: Aditya Chopra.
Banner: Yash Raj Films.
Release Date: 15th December, 2006.

Yash Raj Films has had quite a journey, right from making mushy romantic movies to defining romance in Hindi cinema. Then came the experimental mode, when they reached a peak, a point of no return and were secure in the knowledge that the banner is enough to attract the crowds. Right from the action-packed Dhoom and its sequel, the Indian-Canadian brainless 'comedy' Neal n Nikki to this movie based on war journalism-Kabul Express. Starring India's latest eye-candy John Abraham and everyone's favorite, 'Circuit' Arshad Warsi and set in war-ridden Afghanistan in 2001 getting rid of the Taliban regime. Interesting idea, but the movie doesn't have the effect it could have had nor does it reach its potential. For its credit, it is a good experiment, not pretentious and very straight forward.

Plot The setting is real-post 9/11, Afghans are slowly recuperating from the Taliban, without the support of erstwhile ally Pakistan and the Americans bombing villages after villages. Suhail Khan and Jai Kapoor (John and Arshad) are a journo-cameraman team from India who land up in Afghanistan for stories/interviews and end up being held hostage by a Pakistani military officer in their own vehicle along with their Afghan driver and a talkative American Journalist played by Linda Arsenio.

Treatment Afghanistan. The sheer name of this country is enough for one to envision many disturbing visuals. The tragedy of the country, right from the time the Afghani tribes warred with one another, to the lack of food and resources now; the atrocities committed against women during the Taliban and the present state of poverty, of the lack of education and 23 years of continuous warfare with Russia and America one after the other-everything has been covered and depicted.

But the visuals or the presentation is not disturbing because we see from the eyes of Suhail, and for him, as for many of us, we have become immune to war and violence. The treatment is very subtle and nothing is in your face, but just the power of suggestion makes one think. That in itself stimulates thought rather than gory cinematic visuals. It is realistic, although it has some loopholes-the real distress of the country is not visible. The director chose only to tell the tale of two journalists, and sticks to the story and tells it from their eyes-the eyes which cannot understand the real pain of the country.

Highlights Now the main highlight of the movie is the conversations between the Afghani driver and the ex-Taliban member alias the Pakistani army man. They argue about who is responsible for the ruin of Pakistan, and the conversations are light despite the seriousness of the subject. Arshad Warsi is very good, and he adds the comic element in the movie. His debates with the Taliban member are interesting and generate humor, and that sustains the movie. The stark reality is this-a member of the Taliban or a journo or an Afghani who has seen only death and destruction or an American-all of them are people, and are dictated by the same emotions.

Last Word The blame is finally on the Americans, as it always is-what the director believes is crystal clear. The climax is extremely predictable, as is the journey of the four men and the woman in the vehicle and the way their relationship progresses. Somewhere in the end you wonder what the point was. But the movie has more pros than cons, and it is watchable.

It raises many questions, and if one knows where to locate Afghanistan on the world map and is familiar with what has been happening there, then it would be all the more better to understand the movie. The best thing about the movie is that it shows a real picture, and is not filmy, even if it is slightly predictable. It might work in the multiplexes but everywhere else the response will be thanda. It seems designed for the multiplexes and overseas. A good effort.