Black & White: Hindi Film Review 03/09/08

Starring : Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Anuraag Sinha, Aditi Sharma. Habib Tanvir Direction: Subash Ghai
Subash Ghai finally makes for offerings like Krisna.. This is doubtlessly the show man’s Jagte Raho. It comes with a sensitivity you simply do not associate with the film maker his style and grandeur.
Credit the film maker for his visible cross over. Even more important take a bow for a man who thrives on exaggeration to simplify matters and deals albeit simplistically, with the issue of terrorism. It is easy to fault his solutions. It is even easier to pick faults with the details. Yet pause and you would find that he has made a simple from the heart story that appeals .
There are different takes on terrorism. They are bound to be. It is seen arguably as the greatest problem handed over by the twentieth century to the new. It is easy to be judgmental about it. In fact it is the easiest response. Terrorism is a global face of national violence sometimes approved by governments , some where encouraged by it.
The protagonist Numair Qazi ( Anurag Sinha) has his early schooling in terrorism from the rough terrain of Afghanistan and comes to India with the idea of placing a bomb at Red Fort on independence day. He passes off as a victim orphaned by the Gujerat violence and conspires to live in the house of Gaffar Bhai (Habib Tanvir).

The strategy is to gain the confidence of Prof. Rajan Mathur (Anil Kapoor) a Urdu Professor and his wife a social activist Roma (Shefali Shah) Seen moving with a gang of unemployed youngsters invariably hanging around aimlessly he attracts the attention of the local police who are verifying information on the infiltration of a suicide bomber.
The story slowly builds up with Roma taking an instant dislike for the stranger and then being won over when he saves her daughter from a mob attack. Having gained entry into the household he slowly works a plan to gain an entry pass for the Independence Day parade. Life in all its hues and colours at Chandini Chowk slowly unfurl before his eyes. Time is ticking. So is his mind.

Withdrawn visibly and much to the disapproval of the Professor he sees life suddenly in a different light. He manages an n entry pass for the parade (a dig at how our system works!) and is all set to activate a liquid bomb. The final mind change talks of how terrorism needs to be handled. It takes on the serious question whether one can see and handle it as a mere law and order issue or can we afford a collective naivety of peace.

Yet when Dr. Mathur says that the protagonist came as a product of the terrorist world and has returned as a gift to humanity from India he make a sublime if naïve point. One wonders what the Mahatma’s answer would have been to global terrorism and what road he would advocate!! The script (Sachin Bhowmick, Ghai and Aakash Khuranna) is neat but lazy. Some times very simplistic. Some times even clichéd. At all times sensitive. As a Director Subash Ghai can be proud of making a film of the genre. This arguably is his best. It is truly a shift in the genre and a positive one at that.

Some fine performances add great value to the film. Seasoned by time Anil Kapoor proves yet again why he is taken seriously. Just the other day you watched him in Welcome. Now it is this. Amazingly under played, he still works within the frame work of our commercial films and understands its grammar without going over board. Debutant Anurag Sinha has a very defined and unidimensional role. He fits the bill perfectly. As to whether he is a good actor remains to be seen. Very studied and praise worthy performance. Habib Tanvir the great stage actor gives the film some great moments.

He adds great credibility to the script and watch the film just for him. Shefali Shah may be loud by her standards. Yet I suspect that is how the Director wanted her to perform. The character may be loud the interpretations not. This greet artist deserves a lot more. It would be to the eternal regret of our cinema if she is lost in the din and dust of our cinema.
Black and White is a sensitive document on terrorism without a solution. It is a story not a treatise.
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