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Shootout At Lokhandwala Watchable Maybe Once

We review only select movies in these columns. We reviewed 300 and left out run of the mill pictures like Ta Ra Rum Pum despite their high profile star casts. A movie has to be worthy of your attention and time. It is sad that the majority of the flicks that have hit the screens in the last month or two do not fit the bill. So what makes Shootout at Lokhandwala stand out?

Primarily, three points:

The movie is based on a true story. (This, however, does not mean that the entire movie is a true story. The incident did take place but the movie is essentially a filmi version of the episode).

The movie has a strong Chandigarh connection in Maya bhai, the main protagonist. Mayas character is based on the real life Mayas Dolas, a young engineering graduate who hailed from Pinjore, near here.

The movie sends out a strong message, which may sound a trifle outdated to the majority of the youth today: You may shake a leg here and there, indulge in a little mumbo-jumbo on your own but when it comes to watching your interests, nobody does it better than your parents.

Shootout is directed by Apoorva Lakhia -- a new age director willing to experiment with new genres and new methods of story-telling. Lakhia has chosen to limit the movie to two hours and to his credit he manages to retain his grip over the plot. The central theme remains in focus over the racy two hours. Secondly, Lakhia has successfully sidetracked from taking any sides in what essentially is a cops versus gangsters affair. The movie strives to simply present each side of the story instead of passing any judgements.

Shootout revolves around an encounter between a gang of mobsters and the Mumbai police that took place in the summer of 1991. The controversial incident is stated to be the biggest of its kind to be covered live on national television. Lakhia pieces together the story using the flashback technique.

The movie unfolds with ACP AA Khan (played by Sanjay Dutt), inspectors Kaviraj Patil (Suniel Shetty) and Javed Shaikh (Arbaaz Khan) of the Mumbai Police ATS (a special anti-terrorism squad modeled on the LAPD SWAT) recounting the incidents leading up to the encounter, to private prosecutor Dhingra (played by Amitabh Bachhan). Incidentally, the real life ACP AK Khan, who lead the squad in the real encounter also figures in the movie playing the role of Police Commissioner, Mumbai Police.

On the gangsters side, the lead roles are essayed by Vivek Oberoi (Maya), Tushar Kapur(Mayas side kick Dilip Buwa) and their three colleagues.

The movie successfully delves into the lives and minds of cops and the gangsters. Lakhia has portrayed the shenanigans of the cops versus gangsters game highlighting the alleged politicians-criminals-police nexus. The film shows the excesses committed by the gangsters in running their extortion rackets. It also depicts the alleged association between the criminals and the police (The D-company chief, based in Dubai at that time, is shown calling up ACP Khan to give him the exact address of the Lokhandwala flat where the trigger happy Maya and his gang members are waiting for builder Wadhwani).

The movie fails largely due to the demands of commercialism. Lakhia and Sanjay Gupta (the producer) has kept the script tight. However, a series of song and dance sequences appear totally out of place. A rap number Aye Ganpat sung by Mika sounds good.

The movie is full of noise, blood, violence, and guns. In this, Lakhia has tried to walk the territory charted out by Quentin Tarantino with Reservoir Dogs. Sadly, here he fails miserably. Shootout is a loud film all through. Blame it on commercialism, but Lakhia has failed to realize the importance of an interplay between silence and sound. Perhaps, a cue from Satya or Parinda could have helped.

Among the actors, Vivek Oberoi looks convincing. Maya comes across as sinister, ruthless, fearless and tempestuous. Whereas Rohit Roy (Fattu), Shabbir Ahluwalia( RC) and Aditya Lakhia (Doubling) are good, Tusshar Kapoor looks out of place. You cannot point anything really wrong with Sanjay Dutts performace, but one gets a feeling he could have looked better playing a gang leader instead of a cop.

Sunil Shetty looks solid. Amitabh Bachhan, however, seems to be spreading himself too thin with a series of releases one after the other. Bachhan disappoints in Shootout.

The female actors have little to do in the movie. Amrita Singh (as Mayas mom) looks good. Dia Mirza does not sound like a journalist. Neha Dhupia and Arti Chhabria are disappointing.

Our verdict: Watchable, but only once. And that too if you have time to spare.