If Dangal sold because it was an Aamir Khan movie and so did Gurgaon because it was a Pankaj Tripathi movie then why not sell Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl as another Tripathi movie?
Well, maybe, because it’s a Dharma Productions movie and our very own Karan Johar loves to back star kids!
In none of the first two movies, the big names are the lead characters but the pivotal ones.
Based on the same proven theory, the Kargil Girl can still work if promoted uniquely by Tripathi. He plays the role of a cool, calm and composed father who knows what it takes to push his daughter to the edge and how to keep her focused while achieving her dreams and goals.
The real-life story of Gunjan Saxena, India’s first female Air Force officer to fly in a combat zone during the 1999 Kargil War, is not about her achievements in the war but her journey to success, beating social evils in a men-dominated society which surprisingly also has another man in the role of a father who supports her.
Janhvi Kapoor (as Gunjan Saxena) is perhaps too soft-spoken and timid to give her best despite the fact that we know she can act well.
A storyline not that impressive but to be shown to children by their parents saying that “Beta, dekho, tumhe didi k jaesa banna hai aage jaake zindagi mein”, it was more like a Disney movie presenting a damsel in distress and how she flew out of it!
While the cinematography by Manush Nandan is really good, the movie lacks in a lot of areas, including background score, music and impactful presentation due to a weak screenplay.
I wouldn’t call the work of director Sharan Sharma impressive as a lot more could have been catered if not decided to present a happy-go goody-goody type of a movie.
Acting by Angad Bedi and Manav Vij is really good but Vineet Kumar stands out as an “obstruction”. Child artist Riva Arora plays a cameo but you will like her. However, as mentioned in the beginning, Tripathi doesn’t improvise but presents what he is best at.
Overall, this is a Sunday afternoon post-heavy lunch watch with family, climax of which can be learnt later over tea in the evening when you wake up.
Rating: 2.5/5
