By – Princy Jain
Major is not just a film. It’s an emotion that every single Indian lived during those four days of the 26/11 attack. Directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, this film revisits the sequences of bombings and attacks in a rather surreal manner.
But the film is not just about that.
It is about an emotional see-saw that a soldier’s family rides on. The dilemma that they go through every time a soldier leaves his parents & wife behind, to save his country from all ills and enemies. Major, the film envisages these sacrifices made by the family of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan in a very real manner. As the makers have been saying – the film is not just about how Major Sandeep died, but it is about how he lived.
It’s a befitting and emotional tribute to the hero of this ambush. Actor, Story & Screenplay writer, Adivi Sesh, shines as Major Sandeep, his emotions to save his country and his eagerness to help others, feel so real. The film’s first half is a pacey montage, which encapsulates the story of a young boy, who grows up with a dream of joining the Navy, to become a soldier.
This is where the film differs from previous war dramas. It is a more real and relatable story of a regular boy from Bangalore who joins NDA, goes on to enter the Elite 51 Special Action Group of NSG, and gets martyred as he rises to the call of duty to save his nation.
Did you know that Major Sandeep was not supposed to go to the operation Black Tornado? He was a trainer of the Elite Special Action Group and the trainers are not sent for such operations. But true to his altruistic self, Major had actually volunteered to join his boys. Similarly, when his senior asks him during the operation – how many boys should I sacrifice to save others – Major replies with ease – Only One! He did… and that too fearlessly.
Of course, the makers have taken creative liberty to make it more appealing to the cinema-going viewers, especially the love story of Sandeep & Isha (name-changed) and their very filmy first kiss. But it doesn’t feel out of place in this very well-edited film. The second half takes us inside the Taj, and sequences of the terror attack. The film is shot on a massive set built in Ramoji City, but it does look real and literally teleports you back in time. Since it is one of those events which, is still very fresh in the mind of most of the audiences, there was an eerie silence in the cinema hall, during the siege sequence of the film. Most of the viewers were choked even after the film was over.
Apparently, as told by Adivi, the parents of Major Sandeep – Mrs Dhanlakshmi & Mr K Unnikrishnan declined proposals from several filmmakers to make a film on their son’s life. Even Sashi & Adivi had to make many attempts before they got the final go-ahead. During the process of the research, the family developed a close bond with Adivi, and the same reflects in his portrayal on-screen. For Adivi, this is a smashing debut in the Hindi film industry. Veteran actors – Prakash Raj & Revathy portrays a sea of emotions as parents. Saee Manjerekar looks fresh and looks innocent as required to play her character Isha.
This is a good watch, the only thing I missed, is a moving patriotic song, which could have been my takeaway from the film.
Rating – 3.5/5