Shootout at Lokhandwala-All Reviews Here

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By Taran Adarsh, May 25, 2007 - 13:06 IST

Hollywood has often made films based on real-life incidents. Just one incident/accident/encounter/catastrophe is enough to trigger off the imagination of a storyteller.

In India, the trend of making a film on a solitary incident is still in its infancy stages. That's because moviegoers in India expect a film to provide 'wholesome entertainment', with every ingredient that contributes to a masala film being served in proportionate doses.

SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA follows Western movies in terms of presenting an incident on celluloid. And with an impressive cast at his disposal, director Apoorva Lakhia gives faces to characters that aren't in public memory anymore, also enlightening those who weren't aware that such an incident took place in a bustling locality of Mumbai.

Like KAANTE, MUSAFIR and ZINDA, SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is dark and violent. In fact, the film begins with blood stains and concludes with blood-soaked bodies being carried to a van. The action is real and the impact this film makes in the penultimate 30 minutes is jaw-dropping.

But there's a flip side too. You ought to have a strong stomach to absorb a film like SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA. If the raw action depicted on screen is very real, it could have a nauseating effect as well. Blood, gore and guns can be very off-putting, especially for families/ladies/those into feel-good, sunshine cinema.

Write your own movie review of Shoot Out at Lokhandwala

In a nutshell, SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is sure to meet with extreme reactions. You'd either love it or detest it!

SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is the story of a top cop [Sanjay Dutt], who along with Kaviraj Patil [Suniel Shetty] and Javed Shaikh [Arbaaz Khan], eliminated the trigger-happy gangsters in a residential locality of Mumbai.

SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is the story of Maya [Vivek Oberoi], who made extortion the buzzword in the early 90s, dared to disobey the 'Big Bhai' of the underworld and fought back a posse of policemen for six hours.

It takes time to absorb a film like SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA. That's because the film goes back and forth before focusing on the main incident. The initial portions, depicting the rise of Maya and his gang, are difficult to comprehend at first. But, gradually, the viewer is sucked into a world that sent shivers down the spine in the 1990s.

Thankfully, the film doesn't turn out to be one of those docu-dramas that depict the rise and fall of a gangster. Neither is SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA an extension of 'cop films' like KHAKEE and DEV. The film talks of a dreaded gangster and how the cops eventually eliminated him. But there are layers in the film that we, as commoners, weren't aware of.

That SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is raw and crude would be an understatement. The subject demands that kind of a treatment and director Apoorva Lakhia executes it accordingly. The film is interesting in parts, but the best is reserved for the finale. However, from the writing point of view, there's not much that the viewer gets to know of these gangsters. Also, while the incident may be a novel experience from the cinematic point of view, the cop-versus-gangster saga has been beaten to death in Bollywood.

Also, Apoorva could've limited the film to a song or two. The songs in the film are akin to uninvited guests, standing out like sore thumbs in the narrative. Cinematography is consistent. The editing of the final portions is topnotch. Action scenes, as mentioned earlier, are life-like.

SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA is embellished with a great cast, but the ones who stand out with winning portrayals are, in this order: Sanjay Dutt [effective], Amrita Singh [exceptional], Suniel Shetty [competent], Tusshar [impactful] and Arbaaz Khan [good]. Amitabh Bachchan is not in his element, expect for the final sequence in the courtroom. Abhishek Bachchan is wasted. Although the makers have publicized his presence as a special appearance, it's shocking to see Abhishek getting bumped off at the very start.

Vivek Oberoi repeats his COMPANY act yet again. In COMPANY, it came as a surprise. In SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA, it's monotony. However, his death sequence is fantastic. Rohit Roy is strictly okay. Shabbir Ahluwalia is limited to a few closeups and a line or two here and there. Aditya Lakhia gets no scope. Akhilendra Mishra is fair. A.A. Khan is natural.

Dia Mirza does well. Neha Dhupia gets no scope. Aarti Chhabria registers an impact in the penultimate telephone sequence with Tusshar. Rakhi Sawant's presence comes as a surprise.

On the whole, SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA will meet with mixed reactions. A section of moviegoers [masses especially] would love the violent proceedings, while the ladies/families might give it cold shoulder. At the box-office, the terrific cast and promotion will ensure a fantastic start for the film, helping its producers/distributors recover their investment and make some profits too. Business in Mumbai should be the best.


http://indiafm.com/movies/review/12834/index.html

Film Review: Shootout at Lokhandwala

By Sanjay Ram
24 May 2007, 03:25 PM

Film: Shootout at Lokhandwala

Director: Apoorva Lakhia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Vivek Oberoi, Sunil Shetty, Amitabh Bachchan, Arbaaz Khan, Tusshar Kapoor, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Rohit Roy, Aditya Lakhia, Neha Dhupia, Dia Mirza, Aarti Chhabria, Amrita Singh, Ravi Gosai, Aftab Ahmad Khan, Abhishek Bachchan

Rating: 2/5

Imagine taking characters from real life, adding a bunch of fictionalized ones and throwing in some song and dance. What you get as a result of this mixture is a film that somewhere on lines of being different, has commercial elements packed to the brim and turns out to be a sober ride.

The film traces the rise of a trigger-happy gang and their pursuit to save themselves from maverick lawmen that are out to ensure they no longer exist. Maya Dolas (Vivek Oberoi) and his gang (Tusshar Kapoor, Rohit Roy, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Aditya Lakhia) are non-conformists, they defy their Dubai-based big boss and begin extorting builders and the likes.

With the nuisance they have become, ACP Ahmed Khan (Sanjay Dutt) commissions a team to tackle the problem comprising Kaviraj Patel (Suniel Shetty) and Javed Hyderabadi (Arbaaz Khan). With the team in full form, the chase commences and what follows is a whole lot of 'bang bang' and encounters.

To begin with, the film is weak in its narrative. Every time one tries to connect with the film on some level or the other, it is broken with a conversation. The narrative shuttles between real time and an experience narrated by Dutt, which gets tiring beyond a point.

What could have certainly been a gripping and thrilling rollercoaster ride turns into a tedious merry-go-round. The film while in the first half introduces you to the situation and briefs you on what to expect; fails to convincingly tell the proceedings in the latter half.

Further disappointing are the dialogues that lack the punch. Though they certainly convey the meaning, it is the choice of words and the sentences' length that makes the line seem endless. The film fails to explore the backgrounds of characters or even justify certain actions that may reveal a little more about each character.

On the technical front, the film is incredibly slick. The pace and mood has been created with polished editing. The exploration of various angles and the manner in which each scene has been executed is also commendable. The length and pace is bang on. But then this slickness is all that the film offers in the latter half, where the story begins to move into tangents.

Post the interval one expects the film to pace ahead. However, such is not the case. With the first half building up to the chase, the second half flows to reveal a sane goon hallucinating and his fellow members suddenly waking up to their familial love. What's more… in what could have possibly been a brilliant film, a love interest between a goon and a bar dancer has been forced in.

The biggest crisis with the film is its purpose. The film neither objectively showcases the proceedings, nor does it take a stance. Dia Mirza as a television reporter should have ideally been the binding force for the entire film; however the same has not been utilized. The film questions the authority and the goons alike and then proceeds into a departure where all direction is lost (Every film need not have a point. But the medium is such where the audience walks out with an opinion of what they saw. The film should at least provide usable content to generate an opinion!)

A treat to watch are the performances delivered by each actor. Oberoi does exceedingly well with his role, the constrained and crisp movements, the expressions et al, has you hooked on. Dutt, Khan, Singh, Shetty play their roles to the T. Their body language is has you convinced on the characters they are essaying. Kapoor and Roy fail to set the screen on fire. Dhupia for the few minutes she is on screen is OK. The ones you'd want to see more of in the film are definitely the Bachchan father – son duo.

With a lot of buzz around the movie and the recent controversies surrounding it, Shootout at Lokhandwala will expectedly get a good opening. Additionally with Cheeni Kum's simultaneous release and rave reviews from Cannes; it remains to be seen which one strikes gold at the box office.

Shootout at Lokhandwala is a regular film that offers the routine song and dance show with a few gun shots, deaths and love interests.

indiafm's review is on my first post.

Great, i am happy vivek got the credit, hope audience will appreciate him as well 😳 I knew Sanjay dutt going to steal the show😃

This is really unfair ...I mean why use cameos in the promos??/ 😕 😕 😕

But I dun personally believe in Taran Adarsh review...Hope the film is nice..waitingfor the other reviews. Thanks for sharing

16th November 1991, it was the fateful place of Lokhandwala complex, Mumbai (then Bombay), a shoot out involving 5 Gangsters took place. The encounter is dubbed to be the longest and most gruesome in the history of the Bombay police. Thousands of shots were fired and shoot out went for a nerve-wracking 6 hours! The movie is based on the inside story that no one saw.

Story:

Based on real incidents, the movie portrays the life of a top police cop Shamsher Khan (Sanjay Dutt) who happens to play the protagonist along with Kaviraj Patil (Suniel Shetty) and Javed Shaikh (Arbaaz Khan). Leading the happy-go-lucky antagonist side is Maya(Viviek Oberoi), along with Buwa(Tusshar Kapoor) and their henchmen. The young mobsters dare to go against the wishes of the "Bhai" in Dubai and a whooping sum of 70 Lakhs is on the line. What they least expect is a police intervention..

Blood is spilled all over the place, with even the common civilian at the risk of losing their lives. Do the police triumph or Does Maya and his gang survive? This is the basic skeletal structure of the story.

Performances:

Inspite of playing the antagonist, Viviek Oberoi instills life into the character of Maya. After a credible performance as Chandu in his 2001 release, Company, for the first time Viviek shows that he has high-octane acting skills. (So what, if he doesn't have Aishwarya, it seems he is back with a bang!). Sanjay Dutt deserves a worthy praise for enacting the role of ACP Khan in the most authentic way. Dutt leaves no stone unturned and his very presence is a treat to watch.

Tusshar kapoor comes out of his "Good-boy" shell and tries a different character. He does well, but still the air of a soft, loverboy is evident. Suniel shetty and Arbaaz khan do their parts quite well. Amitabh Bachchan as Lawyer Dingra is projected well. Abhishek plays a blink-and-miss role which leaves no formidable impact on the viewer. Dia Mirza suits the character of a news-reporter to the T. Amrita singh plays the role of the disdained gangster's mother with ease. The others do their part quite well.

Technical Values:

Apoorva Lakhia does well to direct a story based on real incidents. The screenplay by Suresh Nair and Apoorva again is tight and flows along with the movie. Dialogues by Virag Mishra are some times too horrid and one wonders, how the censor passed them without calling for a review. The cinematography department is handled aptly and is reminiscent with Sanjay Gupta's past venture, Kaante. Production values are top-rate and the authenticity is maintained amazingly well.

Bottom Line:

The first half of the movie is visually stunning and the performances leave the viewer stuck to the edge of the seat. The second half is basically about the shoot out and the sequences seem some times nerve-chilling. But, overall as neither the director nor the screenplay writers had a chance to improvise, the movie may not go well with audience of all sections. One feels that the gangsters crying in the penultimate scenes was too filmy and doesn't depict "reality". Overall, a movie worth watching if you are strong hearted and willing to watch gun shots and profane language. If not, kindly avoid it. The summer vacations in India and overseas will do a good to the movie and the sustenance of the movie depends on how well the general public take it.

Overall rating: 3.25/5

Shootout: Very pakao

Syed Firdaus Ashraf
May 25, 2007 17:26 IST

Director Apoorva Lakhia, teri life toh ban gayee.

First, you make pakao movies like Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost and Ek Ajnabee, and yet, all the heroes gives you dates. So now, you have made your third movie, Shootout At Lokhandwala.

Tereko paisa kaun deta hai itni pakao picture banane ke liye? Abey, thoda akal toh istamal karne ka tha Abhishek Bachchan ko lene se paile! Abhishek goggle pen ke aaya aur khali bike chalaya. Phir phone pe phone kiya aur baad mein kuch Khalistani terrorist log usko tapka diye.

Role khatam in two minutes.

Chal usko chhod. Tell me what was the Mumbai police doing? They were shooting terrorists but none of them had any bulletproof jackets.

Humlog kya gaon se aayle hai?

And what was Sanjay Dutt (playing Aftab Ahmed Khan) doing in the film? Khali lecture de raha tha. Woh kam tha kya, jo tu kissan-turned-actor Amitabh Bachchan ko le aaya screen pe lawyer ke roop mein. Such a bore!

All Suniel Shetty did in the film was abuse the media. He kept saying the media never writes about policemen dying in encounters. Abey Suniel, has any policeman ever died in an encounter?

Heroine ke naam pe tu Dia Mirza ko liya, to play a television reporter. Abey, Apoorva, tu kabhi TV news nahi dekha kya? Do TV reporters talk like the way she did? Thoda homework toh kar leta.

Neha Dhupia was pakao in her tiny role.

Aarti Chhabria, usko tu kya kapde pinaya tha? Chal kapde chod, item number mein sab chalta hai, lekin usko thodi acting karne ka scope toh dena tha.

Mumbai police mein rah kar Arbaaz Khan Urdu, Hindi and English literature jhad raha tha. Have you ever met such a mamu in real life? What was the need for his role to be like this?

Suniel Shetty needs some training in acting. Khali-pili hooshyari maar raha tha. Uski biwi chod kar chali gayi toh ghadi-ghadi public phone pe jaakar blank call kyon de raha tha?

Vivek Oberoi, who played gangster Maya Dolas, try mara acchi acting karne ki. But screenplay and story ke naam pe poori picture ki vaat laga di.

Amrita Singh, playing Vivek's mother, cannot seem to get her Marathi accent right.

Tum log aur pak nahin jao isiliye ek cheez sun lo: When the Mumbai cops storm the building where the gansgters are hiding, they come with gunfire, bombs and even a rocket launcher! Yet, the phone lines aren't jammed until the very end. Probably, the considerate director wanted his filmi gangsters to say their final goodbyes to their girlfriends.

Apoorva, ab ek phookat mein advice sun. Don't make a movie again. If you still want to make one, then don't cast so many actors. Poori khichdi banaya tune, kasam Ganpat ki.

First Day First Show Of Shootout At Lokhandwala

http://www.indiafm.com/broadband/video/First-Day-First-Show/ QtvgtB43/3/First-Day-First-Show-Of-Shootout-At-Lokhandwala.h tml

Premiere Of Shootout At Lokhandwala

http://www.indiafm.com/broadband/video/Parties-and-Events/Zr YkCq36/3/Premiere-Of-Shootout-At-Lokhandwala.html

i am looking forward to watch this movie coz of sanju and vivek i think he look so good in the promos

Movie review: Shootout at Lokhandwala

Indu Mirani
Friday, May 25, 2007 19:31 IST

An unending encounter

Direction: Apoorva Lakhia
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza
Rating: *

Is it really necessary to dot every 'i' and cross every't' when you are recounting a story that is still very much on top of everybody's mind? More so, when it concerns one of the most charismatic police officers of the time and the incident has been analysed and dissected by the press over the years? Rather not, one would be inclined to say, but that is exactly what director Apoorva Lakhia does with 'Shootout at Lokhandwala'.

The actual shootout, which consisted of flushing out and killing six terrorists who were hiding in a flat at Lokhandwala by members of the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), not being able to sustain much attention, elaborate back stories are laid out. Not just of the terrorists but also of the senior most three members of the ATS. And what do you know, the ATS (represented by Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Arbaaz Khan) are not only duty abiding, righteous chaps, they are willing to sacrifice their family life in pursuit of their duty while the others (Vivek Oberoi, Tusshar Kapoor, Rohit Roy and more) are louts. They spend their evenings in beer bars flirting with the dancers and generally extort wherever and whenever they can. Mean types eh?

All this and more is revealed through an internal interrogation the cops have when a public outcry forces them to justify their actions, with their appointed lawyer, a cynical, headmaster type of dictatorial figure, played by Amitabh Bachchan. He thinks nothing of insulting his clients, telling them to shut up and passing judgement on all they tell him. Very strange and wholly unbecoming, one must say.

The linear telling of the story, interspersed with flashbacks is as uninteresting and longwinded as the stories they reveal. Better editing and crisper scenes would have helped. And what was that brief appearance of Abhishek Bachchan about and why was Amrita Singh as Maya Dolas' mother so psycho? As for Apoorva Lakhia's Dawood, he is one fat thug given to wearing ill-fitting bathrobes as women of all nationalities lounge around his miniscule swimming pool.

What a hoot!Performance? Vivek Oberoi has the author-backed role which he uses to full advantage. Tusshar tries but he is still stiff in emotional scenes. Everyone else does, more or less, what they are expected to.

At the end of the day what stays with you are the sounds of multiple bullets being expended and blood being spilled. The fact that the lone reporter on the site is the pretty Dia Mirza attempting to egg on the viewers to make the police accountable leaves you cold. And that really is the problem with the film, it doesn't touch you. None of the back stories humanise anyone on either side of the law—it's just one more cops and robbers story, nothing else. It's not even stylishly told, something you have come to expect from Sanjay Gupta's banner.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1099124