D-Day (Hindi) (2013)

Nikhil Advani’s rap sheet in Bollywood is not the most attractive to begin with.  Salaam E Ishq was too long, Chandni Chowk to China was horrible, Delhi Safari was an animation disaster.  He was tolerable in Patiala House.  But with D-Day he seems to have learnt the fine art of Bollywood cinema – doesn’t say too much about him though. Because it is still B Town.  Not H Town.

To begin with, the topic of the movie will easily touch the nationalistic sentiments of the people of this country.  A movie with an obvious reference to the head of the Kaskar family (with a disclaimer included) is assured of attention.  You then add the fictional aspect of 4 agents of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) who have made their way into enemy territory awaiting orders to execute the much awaited plan.

 

It all starts way back in the early 90s with the blasts in Mumbai when Ashwini Rao (Nasser), a RAW agent at that time, makes our most sought after villain his mission in life.  Twenty years down the line, Ashwini is now a senior RAW official with his own private war which the rest of RAW is unaware of.  He has 4 agents who are actually, as mentioned above, deep into enemy territory.

 

Wali Khan (Irrfan Khan) has been in Karachi for nine years and is living with his wife and boy.  Aslam (Aakash Dahiya) has infiltrated the D-Man as his driver.  Zoya Rehman (Huma Qureshi) is the explosive expert who comes into the country a few days before Operation Goldman.  And lastly we have Rudra Pratap Singh (Arjun Rampal) who is a trained army man who has made Napier Road his home.

 

After getting the story right, Advani ensures that the painting is as pretty as possible.  The cinematography is quite good because it also ensures that it distracts you from the several points that Advani gets horribly wrong with respect to an espionage movie.  Add a few decent pieces of music and you have a movie that will do well at the BO for certain.

 

To me the highlight of D-Day were some really solid performances. I cannot think of any single performance that was bad.  Even small roles like those of Shruti Hassan have been essayed quite well.  I thought Arjun Rampal was for once as good with his acting as he is in terms of looks.  The girls are going to have a field day.  Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Huma Qureshi are all superb.

 

D-Day is a good movie but it could have been better (as always) if only some obvious mistakes were avoided.  Our heroes converse in open spaces appearing to be discrete but in loud voices. And then start fighting.  Looking straight into the camera in an elevator so that people can get a good look at your face.  Telling a Karachi prostitute that you are actually from the other side of the border.  Some really obvious errors.

 

Despite these, the way it is made makes sure that you can more than just sustain the movie. In fact it was a welcome relief from some of the over hyped biopics that we have been subjected to of late.  Definitely worth watching on the screen.  Its into week 2.  So try and watch it this weekend. 6.5 on 10.

 

Watch the trailer on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NlCkqBGnRY