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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2017 (PAGE 4) MOVIE-REVIEW PERSONALITY A gripping war drama In the Phogat tradition here have been many films in Bollywood which have been based on the India-Pakistan war. However, very rarely has ever had. TBollywood dealt with the subject involving the Indian Navy What’s your training schedule like? and even furthermore, about the underwater submarine war Ritu Phogat, the third of My level of training is getting more difficult with every between the two nations. This week’s (bilingual) release THE the now famous Phogat passing day. Papa expects me to be up by 4:00 am and GHAZI ATTACK is based on this unique unknown real life event. train for a good three hours in the morning and then Will the film ‘sail’ its way to success at the Box-Office or will it sink sisters, has set her eyes again for three hours in the evening. Even today, he without a trace, let’s analyze. reaches the akhada before us. He has so much zeal THE GHAZI ATTACK’s story (Sankalp Reddy) is based on the left in him even today. At times I feel that he is mysterious sinking of ‘PNS Ghazi’ during the Indo-Pakistani War on the coveted Olympics of 1971. The film starts off with a tremendously engaging baritone more focused than us, when it comes to winning voiceover of Amitabh Bachchan, who gives an insight into the Gold and training under Gold for the country. In fact, I feel relaxed when story set up. After the Indian Navy decodes a cryptic message by I am in sports camp. The trainers there are less the Pakistan Navy about a surprise attack on India, the Indian her hard taskmaster demanding than papa. Navy officers become extremely alert about the situation. In order What’s your diet like? to combat the attack, they recruit a team of three officers to lead father Shabina Akhtar It’s pretty uninteresting, on a given regular day, India’s submarine S21. The trio, then go on a classified mission to my breakfast comprises juices and almond do a detailed underwater recce of the situation. The three princi- in conversation with the shakes, made by papa. Lunch is the regu- pal officers chosen for the mission include Lt.Commander Arjun lar dal, chawal and dahi. Papa Varma (Rana Daggubati), Captain Ranvijay Singh (Kay Kay young wrestler makes sure that I keep my meal Menon) and Executive Officer Devraj (Atul Kulkarni). While healthy and don’t go for Lt.Commander Arjun Varma happens to be the ever-duty-abiding officer, Captain Ranvijay Singh, besides being the senior most and anything extravagant for experienced of the trio, also happens to be a man who likes to fol- my meals. Ritu Phogat, 22, the third of the Do you cheat on your low his instincts and not like to wait for the orders. On the other now famous Phogat sisters, is hand, the Executive Officer Devraj is someone who knows whose diet? quite active on social media. She order to follow and at what time. Even though the officers aboard A. Hmmm... sometimes. tweets and updates her status reg- the S21 are merely sent for recce, little do they know that they will made the moments more dramatic. Also, he misses out explaining But, to be honest, I don’t feel ularly. She has even shown sup- engage with Pakistan’s most decorated submarine ‘PNS Ghazi’, certain crucial twists in the story like when Rana goes to rescue port to Zaira Wasim on social like cheating on that. I am which is ventured into Indian waters in order to destroy India’s Tapsee and the time is running out, Tapsee’s relation with the quite used to eating what prestigious ‘INS Vikrant’. ‘PNS Ghazi’ launches an attack on an small girl and the communication system breaking on S21. networking site, when the Dangal Indian merchant ship on the east coast to distract the crew on star was trolled by a faction of peo- papa decides on. However, overall, he does a fine job of narrating a challenging What is it like to be a ‘S21’. While Captain Ranvijay Singh orders a direct and unin- story. ple in the Valley. But don’t let her formed attack on ‘PNS Ghazi’ right away, it is the dutifulness of When we speak of performances, it’s a bit tough and would also witty tweets and one liner take her Phogat sister, professional- Lt.Commander Arjun Varma that prevents him from doing so. be unfair to single out one person in the film, as the film is a joint lightly, for the third Phogat girl is ly? Thus begin fights and ego clashes between the two officers. What effort of many talents. The film, in totality, belongs to the impec- quite a fierce wrestler when she It means carrying forward a follows after that, are a series attacks and war games between both cable trio of Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon and Atul Kulkarni, enters the ring. Precisely, for that legacy left behind by Geeta and the submarines under the ocean. Do the Indian officers aboard who own the film right from the word go. After having done the reason, Ritu was the most expensive Babita. It’s scary and difficult. It at ‘S21’ manage to survive the Ghazi attack and defeat the Pakistan smash hit BAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING, Rana Daggubati is def- Indian Wrestler for the second season times puts me under immense pres- submarine or do they succumb before the enemies, is what forms initely growing from strength to strength in Bollywood. Given his of the League. With two wins and two sure to perform. And that in a way, the rest of the film. real life physical stature, he is extremely convincing in the role of blocks, her scorecard for the League THE GHAZI ATTACK’s promos gave a fair idea about the pushes me to do better, to carve a Lt. Commander Arjun Varma, who, after starting off as an matches might not have been as expected. niche for myself, to walk out of their film’s plot. The film’s taut screenplay (Sankalp Reddy, Gangaraju Lt.Commander, takes charge of the entire submarine when the Gunnam, Niranjan Reddy) and its well-researched script is But then that is a thing of the past, shadow and to be known as Ritu need and situation arises. The scenes where he feels helpless something that Ritu wants to leave extremely engaging and keeps the viewer hooked to the seats till whenever he gets overshadowed by Kay Kay Menon are outstand- Phogat, the best wrestler in the the end of the film. Given the fact that the film’s premise was set behind and concentrate more on her town. ing. On the other hand, there’s Kay Kay Menon, who shines wrestling techniques and form. The majorly inside a submarine, one has to applaud the film’s writing superlatively in the role of ‘I-set-my-own-rules’ Capt. Ranvijay Whom do you admire the youngest protégé of father and trainer and execution, which undoubtedly comes across as one of the Singh. The emotional aspect of Kay Kay Menon too has been cap- most? toughest aspects of the film. Also, the kind of homework done in tured very sensitively. Besides them, there’s Atul Kulkarni, who Mahavir Phogat, Ritu wants to fulfil her A tricky question. Can I drop order to unearth the story is extremely commendable and remark- was last seen in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer RAEES. THE GHAZI father’s unrequited dream of bagging gold for the Olympics. that? (Pauses) Well, to be honest if I am really asked to answer able. The film's dialogues (Azad Alam) are decent. ATTACK sees him rise phenomenally as a performer and qualifies EXCERPTS OF AN INTERVIEW: this question then it would be Geeta. As she is the one, who has Despite THE GHAZI ATTACK being Sankalp Reddy’s debut to be of one of his career’s best films in Bollywood. Both, Taapsee film as a director, he shows immense promise and potential as a What’s keeping you busy these days? had to pave the path for us, which we all are treading now. She Pannu and the late Om Puri are in cameos. Rahul Singh in the role has faced all the brunt and has made things easier for us. For filmmaker. The way in which he has shot the film is extremely of Pakistani Naval officer and the ruthless Captain of ‘PNS Ghazi’ (Laughs) Training, training and training... intriguing and engaging. He has, in true sense of the word, creat- me to have become a wrestler has been much easier for me. is also brilliant in his part. Besides them, all the character actors Training again? But hasn’t the Pro Wrestling ed an edge of the seat thriller war movie in the form of THE are also well cast make their presence felt in the film. League just got over? All of you sisters are quite obedient? GHAZI ATTACK. The film’s first half not only establishes the While the film has absolutely no scope for music (Krishna My Olympics training had taken a back seat when the Well, that’s because we respect our father a lot. He is a film’s central characters, but also sets the technical know-how of Kumar aka K), it’s the film’s background music, which is outstand- League was on. Now that it is over, I am fully concentrating strict disciplinarian and are what we are today because of how the Navy operates.