D-Day Reviews

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Film: D Day

Starring Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Arjun Rampal, Huma Qureshi, Shruti Haasan, Sriswara, Aakaash Dahiya, Nasser, Chandan Roy Sanyal

Directed by Nikhil Advani

Critics Rating:**** ( 4 stars)

Story: Fragrant pencils and the stench of blood…Irrfan Khan's character identifies flavoured pencils with his undying love for his son even when his life is soaked in the blood of traiters and other modern-day heroes.Funny, how two entirely disparate experiences can co-exist in a work of art!

Movie Review: And make no mistake, Nikhil Advani's sixth feature film is an acutely accomplished work of art. It's a thriller, yes. About the enforced extradition of a Dawood-like gangster(okay, it is 'D' Man though this fearless film grows uncharacteristically coy about naming the slimy guy). But what I came away with was a haunting love story between a mysterious Indian intelligence agent and a Pakistani prostitute, both wounded and scarred for life.She in ways that we can see.He in intangible ways. But pain, at the end of the day,is pain. It's what binds together the wh**e and the ex-armyman.

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Shot in an expertly constructed brothel sets with the crowded colours of lurid sex suggesting the tragedy of lives lived in borrowed beds,the scenes between Arjun Rampal and Shruti Haassan are punctured by piercing silences and a haunting melody about love loss and incomplete lives sung by Rekha Bharadwaj.

Later, much later, the girl is tortured to painful death by a sadistic butcher(gleefully played by Chandan Roy Sanyal). In one of the most innovative editing techniques applied to a Hindi cinema(editors Aarif Sheikh and Unni Krishnan can take a bow) we see the scarred prostitute's torture and death through Arjun Rampal eyes as though he were there when it happened, when he was not.

And in the background a haunting Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy song Alvida plays with assertive evocativeness, reminding us that the end of love is always death.

This love story could have been the entire script of Advani's film. But D Day(odd title that, since the antagonist is no more named Dawood) has a lot more to say, and it says it with in a tone of unfussy enrapturing lan that invites us into its midst without using gimmicky methods of enticement.

The screenplay by Advani, Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair constructs a collage of characters hellbent on a collision course. Though rigorously researched the erudition sits easily spontaneously and unobtrusively on Advani's narration. The story of a bunch of RAW agents on a mission in Pakistan to nab "India's Most Wanted"(no, it's not Salman Khan) is told in a tone that favours a detached distance from the proceedings while ensuring we see each character's life in prismatic close-ups.

Though a deeply patriotic film D Day indulges in no flag-waving. The Indian flag makes one guest appearance, and that too end. God bless Manoj Kumar.

Every character in D Day, even the dreaded caricatural Bhai(the don named, ha ha, Goldman), is a prisoner of his own lost dreams and aspirations. The RAW heroes are thrown in our face without elaborate preamble. The very attractive Huma Qureshi as the RAW agent Zoya has her personal life in shambles.But we never see her unhappy husband. We only hear him.And we're happy that he speaks about their distressed relationship in the voice of the very talented Raj Kumar Yadav.

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Every character, visible or invisible, speaks to us in urgent desperate tones. And within 20 minutes of the playing-time we're consumed by these doomed lives that seem to have lived on the edge forever and have nowhere to go except the abyss.

With astonishing impunity Advani sketches the half-finished for all his characters. These are people whose dreams can never come true. The film's deep affinity to the business of unfinished lives gives a cutting edge to Advani's narration.As the plot progresses the narration gets only more and more involving and intriguing until from Karachi we reach breathlessly to the Indian side of the Indo-Pak border where Rishi Kapoor gives a sneering contemptuous speech on the Indian government's inability to control terrorists and terrorism.

This is as good a place as any to say D Day is crammed with remarkable actors furnishing the anxious proceedings with a riveting life-force. Rishi Kapoor as the gangster is of course first-rate. When is he anything less? While conveying the sinister slimy side of the gangster Rishi also gives a comic interpretation to the rotund goggled perpetrator of mayhem.

Yup, this guy is having himself a blast. The other actors too are entirely in their element. Arjun Rampal and Shruti Haasan's tragic love story is played by the actors in muted mellow muffled shades. Arjun seems to become a more evolved actor with every role.As for Irrfan Khan. his portrayal of a man on a suicidal mission trying to hold on to the memory of his wife and son is so vivid you can touch his anguish. Newcomer Sriswara is extremely credible as Irrfan wife, while Huma Qureshi as the third member of the RAW team is effortlessly appealing and effective . Newcomer Akaash Dahiya as the fourth RAW team-member is so much on the edge, you want to hold him back from toppling over.

So imminent and anguished are the goings-in D Day that without effort the film outraces the other two recent RAW thrillers Srirram Raghavan's Agent Vinod and Kabir Khan's Ek Tha Tiger. Advani's grip over his characters' messed-up destiny never slackens.

The cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray uses cluttered garish spaces to create a sense of spiritual emptiness during times of tremendous stress and anxiety. This is a film with world-class action scenes. But it is not an action film. It's a film about love and loss. But it isn't a love story.

So what is it we are looking at here?Go find out for yourself. With this one film Nikhil Advani joins the ranks of the most accomplished young filmmakers of Hindi cinema and by far Karan Johar's Dharma Productions proudest product.

Rating:4/5 stars (Four Stars)

Star cast: Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Huma Qureshi, Shruti Haasan

Director: Nikhil Advani

What's Good: Without an ounce of jingoism, the film's plain, non-judgmental storytelling with a thought provoking narrative is ace. Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan put up a marvellous show!

What's Bad: The editing in the film's latter half could have been tauter.

Loo break: None at all.

Watch or Not?: Nikhil Advani's D-Day traces a labyrinthine story of India's unsung war heroes. With its chilling action scenes and thrilling emotional quotient, D-Day is perhaps one of recent times' most rivetingly told stories. With Bollywood celebrating Dawood mostly, here's a filmmaker who has made a daunting movie which effortlessly gives the character its correct hue.

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The nabbing operation of India's most wanted man that is carried out by four undercover agents, all of them come with their own personal baggage! Nabi Ali, stationed in Pakistan for years has already set up for himself emotional attachments. Rudra Pratap Singh, a formed Armed Force' officer is exactly the opposite and prefers being detached. Zoya dumps her familial happiness and chooses her patriotism over it. And Aslam who serves as the spy in the Don's 'kafila' joins hands in an impossible mission. On the eve of of his son's wedding, the mission that will result in the downfall of this notorious don is to be executed. How brilliantly the climax is tied up with its shockers and teary jerks are what make D-Day so unparalleled.

D Day Review: Script Analysis

The script of this gritty thriller is based on the lines of Zero Dark Thirty, naturally sketching it on an Indianized canvas; the film is 2 hours plus of sheer edge-of-your-seat thrill. For most part, the story sticks to being purely artistic even as its revels in nail biting action. Emotionally wrenching and ripping, the story of D-Day follows the lives of 4 war heroes who are on a mission ala 'The Charge of The Light Brigade'. Advani absorbs us easily into his story as he uses the tool of terrifying realism and paints the terrifying picture of atrocities that we have incurred in the name of terrorism. To begin with, it is the extraordinary script that entraps you in the nuances of its dramatic folds. An undercover agent who must give up the warmth of his wife and the love of his son is caught in between his duty call and his family! It is a tribute to the story writers that the audiences don't find a single sag in the film's tapestry. The film's climax is 15 minutes of spectacular adrenaline rush as all the pieces of the film finally blends into one. There are its share of clichs in each character as you almost know what they are like, but the wonderful choice of actors render to their roles both beauty and believability. The film exudes immense confidence in its mannerism of telling the story that makes its fabric so brilliantly suspenseful.

D Day Review: Star Performances

This high octave action films depends heavily on the prowess of its actors to valiantly carry forward the film and each of the vital work of these actors turn out to be nothing short of stellar.

Rishi Kapoor as Goldman, the man fashion on the iconic underworld character Dawood Ibrahim arrives with the enigma that his name is meant to convey. Getting every note right, he gives an impactful performance as the man who is colossal in his notoriety.

Irrfan as Wali Khan is impeccably wonderful both in his tender moments and the high drama ones. How in a matter of one simple film this man has in his role such diverse hues is unimaginable. The accomplished actor he is, his tendency of constantly pushing the envelope further is what makes each of his work so distinct and yet doesn't blur in terms of marvel. He makes Wali both delicate and fiery with stunning ease.

Arjun Rampal has evolved for the better as an actor. His infallible personality and his portrayal that has hints of both anguish and strength is what makes him stand out despite the presence of more powerful actors. He acted like a dream and that is commendable, to say the least.

Huma Qureshi tackles her part with gusto and as compared to her role in the recent Ek Thi Daayan, she is light years ahead. A female soldier whose sacrifices are way beyond merely putting her life on stake, Qureshi's strength is in her simplistic acting.

Sriswara as Irrfan's wife is an excellent actress who known the right mode to enliven her role. Her chemistry with Irrfan is so adorable-ish, that your heart goes out to her helplessness!

Shruti Haasan as an actress is obviously great, but her character is quite misplaced. Nevertheless she carries out her role to perfection especially the power with which she manages to choke you up in the song 'Alvida'.

D Day Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects

Nikhil Advani's tangible movie is innovative in its vision and involving in its demeanor. The direction is so deeply fascinating, that one remains obviously latched to the movie. He carefully refrains from making any bit of it melodramatic which is perhaps the most effective part of the movie. Perhaps the only hiccup for me was the song 'Alvida' which is my opinion attempted to romanticize tragedy and pain very wrongly. It's a quite a shock that this man went wrong enough to make squibs like Chandni Chowk To China and Salam-E-Ishq. Tom Struthers and John Street's (of Inception and Dark Knightfame) stunning stunts right from Hollywood frames terrorizes with the right punch. Tushar Ray's cinematography is picture perfect as he gives the right amount of anxiety to the story. The film's mayhem doesn't get anarchic and furnishes itself convincingly. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's soundtrack croons with a haunting feel and syncs wonderfully in the film's story.

D Day Review: The Last Word

Nikhil Advani's D-Day is by far one of the India's most applausive high octave action films, which has a charming rendition in terms of an emotional plot. Appealing performances and the menacing story makes for decadent palette. I am going with a 4/5 for this well textured, fabulous film that will leave you speechless and overwhelmed without becoming imposingly patriotic.

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