Lakshya 2004

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Om Puri, Sharad S Kapoor, Raj Zutshi, Sushant Singh, Prashant Chainani, Nawab Shah, Boman Irani, Amrish Puri
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani

The film is a tale adapted from the war or rather the scuffle between India and Pakistan along with the insurgents in the strife torn Indian state of Kashmir. The film by Farhan Akhtar is a huge deviation from the film he made earlier - Dil Chahta Hai. Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) is a duffer. He is a loser in life and does nothing…. Cars, music systems and DVD form a part of his life… so much so that everyone loses interest in him, including his girlfriend Romila Dutta (Preity Zinta) who is in fact the most stable factor in his life.

Hrithik's performance as the happy-go-lucky youth who is transformed into a soldier is one of the movie's highlights. Preity Zinta plays Karan's love interest. She is a TV journalist Romila Dutta, who is modeled on Barkha Dutt of the NDTV. This is to recall that Barkha Dutt has been on the front of Kargil for reporting events for her channel.

A rich kid, Karan has an air of innocence about him, which appeals to his classmate, Romilla Dutta (Preity Zinta). The two are in love. Romilla's only grouse is that her boyfriend has no ambition in life and is totally clueless about his future. Ditto for his parents. Hrithik's lost boy look is really cute. Wish the director had played this up more! The audience is really entertained in this portion of the film. Hrithik shines in both the songs, 'Main Aisa Kyun Hoon' and 'Agar Main Kahoo'. So how does the aimless boy turn into a soldier? Does love transform him? No! Like most kids his age he is influenced by a friend who has a brainwave that he wants to join the army. This combined with a glamorous view of a soldier's life prompts him to take it up as a career. His father's resentment at this decision further strengthens his resolve. Now starts his training at the IMA (Indian Military Academy). There are genuinely hilarious moments here and Hrithik tackles each scene like a pro. However, the film becomes boring after he becomes a dedicated and sincere army guy who feels for his country. I'm sure most viewers will agree with this. Now starts the typical goings on in a war film till the predictable end.

After attempting a film on male bonding in DIL CHAHTA HAI, Farhan Akhtar goes into a different zone in LAKSHYA, which brings back memories of AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN [1982; starring Richard Gere] in parts. The young maverick did leave an indelible impression in his first film and with LAKSHYA, he consolidates his position as one of the finest storytellers of India.

Javed Akhtar's script has several interesting incidents in the first half, but you can hardly count the intriguing ones in the post-interval portions. However, the dialogues are flawless and only a seasoned writer could've come up with such lines.

Cinematography is outstanding. The visuals of North India look mesmerizing and one can't help but fall in love with the locales. The lighting during the war scenes is also perfect.

Bachchan is a special disappointment. He has neither the space nor the chance to grow beyond the space provided. The only actor who makes some impression beyond the all-pervasive impact of Hrithik's main performance, is Sushant Singh as the Muslim soldier. The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is of a decent standard, which is the least you expect of them. The songs are not exactly superhit material, though Agar main kahoon or Main aisa kyon hoon could prove me wrong.

On the whole, LAKSHYA will meet with diverse reactions. Watch Lakshya. You won't be disappointed