After reading the nth poor review about the film, i tend to feel there is a concerted effort to malign an honest effort. i saw the film and would rate it as a firly decent contemporary film with a military backdrop. let me list out a few points i noticed about the film:
1. This appers to be the first film to have even attempted to showcase the Indian Navy in any manner to date - even the likes of the so-called badshahs (the Johars and the Khans etc.)of the film industry have not dared to capture the essence of our fine warships at sea.
2. The film shows efforts to maintain authenticity. All uniforms, formations, unit/regiments mentioned are accurate and authentic. The jargon used during the naval sequence is authentic. Maybe the computer generated submarine sequence was a bit tacky, but you cant fault Anil Sharma on the surface navy shots.
3. The plot has been lambasted as being weak. i would like to know why it is imperative for every film to send back a brooding and deeply introspective audience? i thought films also had some entertainment value. OK, so Anil Sharma did not cut costs on clothing (baring) his heroines and did not waste footage on lip-locks and hip-thrusts - has this eternal folly robbed his film of all credit for entertainment? Seems so...
4. More on the plot.. I thought the story held together much better than most of our films put together. If the reviewer felt "befuddled", then he probably went for a late night show or else is dyslexic. The plot is clear enough - it is a progressive narrative which does not need any specila mental abilities to comprehend. In fact, the weaving in of various characters is quite well done at places.
5. The film has its moments of brilliance in the stunts department. While the actual story may have a few far-fetched coincidences, let us grant the film-maker that liberty and enjoy - as the promos say - the thrilling Amarnath Yatra sequence...
6. Given the multitude of characters, the director has managed to amply characterrise every one of the roles, the outstanding ones being that of Danny and Akshaye. His portrayal of the humane side of Pakistan patriotism is frank and almost real.
7. Anil Sharma has also clearly brought out that it is actually a handful of fanatics on either side which are responsible for the strife. And finally, Mr. reviewer, if the two countries need to improve relations, what better way than to come together to combat the common enemy - terrorism?
There was a boy, a small boy who made ad films until providence intervened and he made one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of Indian Cinema, Gadar. Then he made The Hero, which just about managed to find the life-raft while other movies struggled in the open sea. So, okay, puberty was not a very pleasant time in his life, but he got through. With Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo we know that, in his teens, he is not going to, um..., score with more than one girl, and only if his parents get them hooked up.
Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo suffers the curse of the tempo....