‘Madras Cafe’ Film Review- Tanmay Dubey

 

 

 

Starring: - John Abraham, Nargis Fakri, Rashi Khanna

Director:- Shoojit Sircar

 

Madras Café is a brave film. (not that real bullets and Grenades were used during the shoot!) but the film dares to offer something different to the formula lover Indian Film audience. This film travels the relatively unexplored genre in Indian Film Industry which is being a ‘political thriller’.

The film is narrated by an ex-army man who is living in a self-imposed exile after his personal life was shattered while trying to save country’s life. The film is based on the espionage activity initiated by the RAW during the ethnic conflict between the Tamils and the Sinhalese of Sri-Lanka during early nineties involving assassination of our ex-prime minister.

The film is well researched (Prabhakaran becomes Anna and LTTE becomes LTF !)And the execution is almost like a documentary ( no scope for over the top dramatic action scenes, you can almost always spot a military chopper in all the long shots! ) Although the story is quite complex and keeps on moving back and forth (You have to be alert and attentive not to lose the track and names of the characters!)

The first half; like a slow intoxicant, is spent on building the intensity of the main plot. The slow intoxication turns to a gripping exhilaration during the second half and you hold your nerves with the racy pace at which the plot unfolds about the economic hit men and control over the strategic coast line of Lanka.

Last but not the least Kudos to John Abraham for producing such a film (he has a knack for producing off beat films like ‘Vicky Donor’). He has acted very well in the film (no flexing muscles!) Nargis Fakri too plays a Brit-Indian girl (thank God! she was not forced to mouth Hindi dialogues) with ease. Casting Director gets full marks. (Siddhartha Basu, Piyush Pandey in unconventional roles.)

“Har Kisi ka ek Sach Hota hai, depend karta hai tum kanha Khade ho” says one of the character in the film. This film reflects the same, it has its own truth very different from the masala bhel of rest of the highest grossers.

All in all a strong coffee for the weekend!

  

Score Stack Up:-

+ ive:-  Good story, Different treatment, and Good performances.

-  ive:-  May leave you cold if espionage and politics is not your cup of tea. No Music and no comic content.

 

Box Office, Paisa Vasool Rating:- 3 out of 5

Tanmay's Rating : 3.5 out of 5

 

 

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Scores Classifications- 

(5) Very Good, Must Watch 

(4)  Good, Should Watch 

(3)  Almost made it;

(2)  Could have been much better; 

(1)  On your own risk;