Very Much On Target. Review on Lakshya

Situational comedy in movies had never been the same. A movie had never seemed so refreshing on screen. A topic of friendship has never been dealt with in a manner so close to reality. It is this zest for reality that brings me close to Lakshya. It is something which someone of my age can clearly relate to. Fact being, the number of boys, or dudes of my age that I see roaming around, having the latest mobile, living under the luxury of a rich family with no aim in life and have gotten everything and will continue to keep getting, with an easygoing life, are countless.

A boy quite similar to the same is Karan Shergil who has no aim in his life and has taken things from granted. Yet, he is good inside, innocent, very lovable and is cultured. The only thing which is stable in his life is his love in Romi, Preita Zinta. Comparisons in his family between his brother Uddesh are inevitable as he is someone who is studying and is making a career as their parents expect him to do the same. After all the pressurizing from his family, he randomly agrees to his friends and picks a career in the army. When his friend backs off, he goes the path alone.

But you can't expect a vagabond to live by rules that easily. The same happens when Karan during his training camp can't live with the discipline and decorum and hence quits. His father had already lost hopes on him, and this is confirmed when he overhears Boman Irani saying this to his mother. When Preita Zinta gets angry and leaves Karan for this lack for respect for his decision and goes on to persue her career as a journalist. Karan finally understands the reality of life. If all this was the movie, then we have just sarted. Enter the directorial prowess and sheer flawlessness in Farhan Akthar's style. Ladakh has never looked the same. Credits to the cinematographer of great movies liek Cliffhanger in Cristopher Popp as he shows Ladakh with brilliant skill, a welcome one which Santosh Sivan would bow to.

Then on, its a story of how this boy finally has an aim in his life, and how he discovers as well as practises the inner talent in the human when the spirit is left free when one has an aim in life. Hrithik is flawless, class, unbeatable during the war scenes, Preity who comes as a reporter to cover the war is brilliant as she is on the back of an broken engagement. Amitabh shows Hritihik the direction, he gives him a Lakshya in life. Performance wise, this movie has very few matches. Gone are the days of Border and LoC, Farhan shows the way as how War scenes are to be shot, as show much a soldier gets to see amids all darkness. What is the level of determination, dedication, commitment and focus that one needs to have in the army. Hw shows the spirit in the army, the unity, the respect.

The music of the movie is again different in itself. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the trio have again worked well with the father-son duo. With scores like Main Aisa Kyo Hoon which have a funky rap tune to it which is sang brilliantly by Shaan, as Javed Akthar has penned the mind of a confused young boy without any aim in his life well. Agar Main Kahoon is a great song with a simple message that one doesn't need to keep telling ''I love you'' to show your love, it is how one expressed it with deeds. The title track is brilliant to say the least which epitomizes the determination of a boy who can break all barriers and can overcome all obstracles to reach the top. Kitne Baatein for a moment gives you a feel that it is A.R Rahman composing the song. Nowonder S-E-L are inspired by him. But the best of the lot is Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe as it shows the value of team spirit and the qualities that one needs to overcome obstracles to stand in front of death and face it, putting life on the line.

Performances, it is really brilliant to notice the revelation of Hrithink Roshan as after a sting of flops he gives a performance which is thus far, his best ever. From scenes when he has to play the vagabond, to the innocence that he has to show, times when he has to bring the funny side out for the light humour in the movie, until the best scenes when he is in the army are nothing but clap worthy. One of the best performances by an actor in Hindi cinema. Be it during dance sequences of Main Aisa Kyon Hoon, or the determination to be shown in the title track, or his easy going nature in the start of the movie, and the scenes at Ladakh. He is brilliant.

Preita Zinta comes up trumps with a great performance which is steady enough to show the girl of today. Amitabh Bachchan has never looked more of an army officer than in Lakshya as he is great in the bit parts that he is in. The other starts like Sharad Kapur, Om Puni, Boman Irani have done it brilliantly. Watch out for he dialogues of Javed Akthar during the war, as Om Puri comes up with lines like ''Main to keheta hoon, shukar hai chand aasmaan me hain, varna yeh log usme bhi lakeerain kheechte the, yeh tera au yeh mera.''

Credits to Farhan, he has been class personified. He shows everyone that movie making cannot be done overnight. His group at Excel Productions are ones who would scout places well, ones who would bring in the right personna for the right roles, and would know exactly what one wants. From the minute things like before the rock climbing scenes, commandos having to wear black clothes and the black pain the face, to manner in which he portrays a lazy young man, he rekindles the art which Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra could only imagine of making. Christopher Popp, a special mention as the rock climbing scenes from Ladakh have been shot with Cliffhanger-perfection. Or the scene where the soldiers sit 20 feel below the peak of the mountain in a rock as the camera rolls back to show the whole of Ladakh, the peaks, joy to watch.

In hindsight, one can say that the movie didn't sell, the reason being, it would never give you entertainment value as such. It would give you reality and things close to realism. It would give you a great feel in the end. It would make you think, ''do I have a genuine aim in my life when there are these people whose aim in life is to face death face to face for me?'' The Indian Army is yet short by 14000 personnel. I would doubt there could be any greater movie to give the call for an aim in life, a call to join the fauj. A welcome piece of brilliance when the year has been pathetic with movies like Ab Tak Chappan, Khakee, Swades and Phir Milenge being the few worth watching.