Screen Test

A lone woman leads a fight against archaic thoughts and customs, as well as a mighty force with the best weapons at their disposal. Rani Laxmibai’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle is a lot more than the valour she displayed on the battlefield in the 1857 revolt against the East India Company. She mobilised ordinary people in her kingdom and instilled in them values of self-respect and belief while motivating them to fight for Independence. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi narrates this extraordinary tale of a feisty woman with actor Kangana Ranaut playing the lead. The film starts by showing the queen’s journey from a young girl with sword-fighting and horse-riding skills to an assertive woman who knows what she wants. It establishes the traits that separate her from the rest even as her tender side quickly gives way to maturity at a young age. The transformation is seamless. Ranaut looks gorgeous in every frame even though some songs appear unnecessary. Neverthele...

Making a film about a crucial, covert operation involving the armed forces can be a tricky affair. It’s easy to get carried away and rile up emotions in the name of patriotism. Uri: The Surgical Strike avoids doing exactly that and that is what works for the film. It’s a slick action drama that sticks to the plot of the 2016 surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and has the viewers invested in the secrecy surrounding the attacks. Vicky Kaushal leads the strikes after his brother-in-law dies in a terrorist attack from perpetrators from across the border. There’s an emotional family drama prior to this that does hold up the pace of the story, but once the focus shifts to the action and planning, you can’t take your eyes off screen. One automatically roots for the soldiers who carry out a daring operation in the middle of the night and return with zero casualties. The wonderfully-shot action sequences, especially in the second half, add to the adrenaline rush...