Picket 43 Malayalam Movie
The striking visual style and the freezing landscapes in Major Ravi's 'Picket 43' do not make up for the flickering story line that threatens to blow out any minute. Major heaps in loads of patriotism, familial sentiments and some bon ami passion into a much familiar plot, and crafts a film that sparsely manages to catch your attention during its two hour run.
As he gets ready to leave home on a much longed leave, army man Hareendran Nair (Prithviraj) gets posted to the infamous Picket 43 that lies along the India - Pakistan border, from where few army personnel have made it back alive. Along with the sniffer lab Bacardi, Hari reaches Picket 43 and is welcomed by a shower of bullets from the army shack across the border.
As days pass by, the Pak army sentinel who had been hell bent on giving Hari sleepless nights is replaced by Mushraff (Javed Jaffrey), and a camaraderie evolves between the two as they discover quite a few common interests in music, cricket and Bollywood. When militants attack Picket 43, this amity is put to test with dire consequences.
As much as the film talks of this warm good will that grows between the two army men on either sides of the border, the script does not build on it to an admirable level, and instead digresses into too many distractions. Ultimately it does not stir us on any of these counts, which is why the companionship between Hari and Mushraff fails to make the impact that it should certainly have.
There is this particular cinematic mould that Major Ravi comfortably adheres to, film after film, and 'Picket 43' is no exception. It's indeed understandable that every army man who serves the nation has a family back home but Ravi has focused on it without as much as a grain of change in every film since 'Keerthi Chakra', and cinematically it does not impress.
The flashbacks talk of a love back home, and Ravi does some inept casting as well with the actress who plays the jawan's lady love. That the said scenes are banal is an added disadvantage, and the first half of the film limps considerably with a pile of sentiments ruling out any possibility of some exciting action.
There are no big surprises in store in the latter half as well, and for anyone who even has an inkling as to how a tale of cross border friendships would go, everything that is to follow should be palpably clear. They pretty much work out as you expect them to, and as the film finally draws to a close, Ravi would have handed out to you on a platter, yet another of his army films.
It escapes me totally as to why Bacardi was carelessly left behind by the troops, especially since we had been told right at the beginning that he is one of the best sniffer dogs in the military. It's good to see him back in the climax yet again, but it's difficult to believe that there could be such total disregard for an animal life.
Prithviraj lends his heart and soul to his portrayal of the army man, and his extremely persuasive act is what elevates a mediocre script above the ordinary. He is ably supported by a stellar performance by Javed Jaffrey as his comrade under stress. Jomon T John's splendid frames make 'Picket 43' a delectable visual treat.
And despite all this, for all the jawans who are out there at this moment safeguarding the security of our land, as I contentedly key in these words in the comforts of my cosy living room, I would give 'Picket 43' an Above Average rating. Perhaps for once, it's the venerable thought behind it that I choose to honor, than the film itself.
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