The Surgical Strike – Reviews
Rating – 3 /5
Duration – 155 Min.
Director – Aditya Dhar
Producer – Ronnie Screwala
Music Director – Shashwat Sachdev
(Film is based on 2016 Indian Army’s surgical strikes on Pakistan as retaliation for the Uri Strike)
Plus Points:
1. Film was excellently shot at what looks like real war locations (majorly in Serbia). The India-Pak- border, the LOC and other areas resembling military post and terrorist camps were recreated in Serbia. The reason best known to Indian authorities, unit could not get any permission to shoot regs film in India!
2. Character of Narendra Modi (Rajit Kapoor) & Ajit Doval (Paresh Rawal) looks very real & timing of the release is just perfect for ruling party to gain political mileage.
3. Film is thrilling, gripping & instills patriotic feelings. Emotionally too, is quite good.
4. All the characters played their roles very well. Vicky Kaushal as Major Vihan Shergill, Paresh Rawal as Ajit Doval, Yami Gautam, Kriti Kulhari, Mohit Raina as Captain Kashyap, Ivan Rodrigues, Yogesh Soman as Manohar Parrikar, Swroop Sampath & others. Vicky Kaushal went through an extensive military training for 5 months to get bulky & has done avery good job. Mohit Raina too, stands out.
5. Two Surgical Strikes are very well shot & full credit to the entire unit, especially Action & Camera team.
6. Cinematography (Mitesh Mirchandani) is superb & very well edited by Shivkumar Panicker.
7. Story & Screenplay (Aditya Dhar) are perfect to keep you engrossed throughout the film.
8. Debutant Director Aditya Dhar has done a commendable job & delivered a memorable film.
Minus Point:
1. Dialogues weren’t very effective or hard hitting, needed in this drama.
2. One hit patriotic song sorely felt.
3. Single screen audience may not patronize this non-masala film.
4. At a point, Surgical Strikes scenes become too repetitive & loses the interest of the viewers.
5. Though graph of the film looks authentic, cinematic liberates are being taken, especially entire ‘Grud’ sequence helping the military to carry out surgical strike.
Box Office –
Multiplex audience would love this. Positive word of mouth will benefit the film.