URI – The Surgical Strike has definitely started the year off with a bang. Though the viewers know the outcome of the movie, it still encapsulates them. It is definitely one of the better Bollywood movies I have seen. The movie feels closer to a ‘Black Hawk Down’ or ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ rather than an ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ kind of film. Though a very realistic film, being a Bollywood movie, it is a little ‘filmi’ in a few places. However, every Bollywood lover loves these dialogues – only in a few places though. Broadly speaking, the sheer power and truthfulness, promises an enjoyable watch, making it worth your money.
The movie is largely about a retired para-commando, who comes back into the field after the loss of a family member in a terrorist strike. The Surgical Strike – URI – is basically his way of revenge on those terrorists.
The actors have done extremely well, especially Vicky Kaushal. Even when costarring with actors like Paresh Rawal, he definitely stands out. The military training he went through for this was completely worth it, making him perfect for this role. I did like him in ‘Manmarziyan’ and especially in ‘Sanju” as ‘Kamli’ but URI completely exceeded my expectations. Vicky successfully shift from the warming and happy feel of ‘Kamli’ to the steel like ‘Vihaan Singh Shergill.’ With this role, he has definitely cemented his role in Bollywood and increased my respect for him as an actor as well.
I was sold in the trailer itself. Kaushal’s power packed performance is clearly visible in it itself. There is a funeral scene in the teaser (0:38 – 0:45) and ithe scene where Vihaan Singh briefs his men in the trailer (1:26 – 1:39) – Oh, I got goose bumps.
Yami Gautam supports him well, playing an intelligence officer – Kirti Kulhari, though having a little screen time. Well, I’m in no position to critique the likes of Paresh Rawal but he played his role as the National Security advisor with a lot of power, creating an impact with every one of his dialogues.
However, I personally felt that the film did drag a bit in the beginning, dwelling a lot on his personal life, dealing with the loss of his family member. The film, about 2 hours 20 minutes long could have been slightly cut down to about 2 hours 5-10 minutes. But it didn’t take away much from the movie.
Aditya Dhar achieves the correct balance, with the help of some brilliant visuals, sets and cinematography. There are some typical Bollywood hero moments, but it can’t remove those. Aditya Dhar manages to maintain the suspense, tension and power throughout the movie, especially when the planning and implementation of the surgical strike is portrayed.
All in all, URI – The Surgical Strike strikes the correct notes for an Indian audience. I will not be surprised if the movie does brilliantly in the box-office. Dhar’s storytelling combined with Kaushal’s powerful acting has brought forth a brilliant outcome. Though I would’ve preferred a slightly shorter film, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The film is a tribute to all those martyrs who lost their lives in the camp in Kashmir. Everyone involved with this film should be proud of what they have made.
-Aryamaan Dholakia.
Aman’s Rating: /100 Aryamaan’s Rating: 82/100
Assistant Director's Film Reviews 