Rating: 3/5 Stars (Three stars)
Star Cast: Sadia, Aadil Khan, Faisal Simon
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Best Part: Even without knowing anything about the film, it could easily be said that this is personal for the creators, performances that do not depend on anything to keep it with them.
Worst Part: Play with the rhythm in many situations and this will not be well received by many.
Analysis: As we move down a very narrow street in Jammu, we see that the camera is moving towards a person who writes a letter on the typewriter to POTUS (President of the United States). This is the letter-number 1665 that Shiv Kumar Dhar (Aadil Khan) publishes on POTUS, as he wants to let you know how he has been a refugee in his country for the past 28 years. In the flashback, we see Shiv meet Shanti (Sadia) and marry her in the introductory scene.
Amid the tensions between the Kashmiri pandits and the Kashmiri Muslims, many pandits get a forced exit from their homes. What we now remember as the tragic "Exodus Day" Shiv and Shanti were one of those lakes that had been left homeless overnight. They remain in a refugee camp in Jammu while Shiv receives a reply from POTUS to his letter number 1665 and what happens next is what the story talks about.
Script Analysis: The beauty of the film lies in its external beauty. Rangarajan Ramabadran (director of photography, Chumbak fame) uses drone shots to capture aerial shots from Kashmir. These shots are also used as metaphors that begin with an impressive green valley and continue to show the smoke-laden destruction that evaporates from the explosions.
The point where Vidhu Vinod Chopra got confused is that he was unable to choose whether to interpret a love story or a story about the Pandits of Kashmir. It mixes both and that's where it lost its charm for me. You connect only with the struggle of the characters and not with that of an entire community. The tension created in some sequences has no parallels, but it is only for those two lovers in particular.
Star Performance Analysis: Aadil Khan with an extraordinary presence, not only nourishes charm in his expressions but also pain and instantly connects the public. You can show what's in your heart on your face and that's a great thing for established actors, while this was only their first movie.
Sadia Khan simply lights up the screen with her broad, bright smile. She has full control of the scene she is in and won't let you see anything except her. Both Aadil and Sadia are one of the best novices that someone has given to Bollywood over the years. The actor who plays Shiv's friend Lateef has his own pair of scenes in which his character's writings simply play with your emotions.
Direction and Music Analysis: This is full of emotion for Vidhu Vinod Chopra and this is clearly visible in the way he tells the story. His passion for the topic causes conflicts in what he wants to tell and what people want to hear. Although this is a cinematic gem, it somehow lacks the most important ingredient that would have made it a classic.
The best song in the movie is not a song. It is a poem written by Irshad Kamil and narrated by Aadil Khan - Ae Wadi Shehzadi. This is Vidhu Vinod Chopra's love letter to Kashmir and it should have been the sketch of the film. Shradha Mishra in Mar Jaayein Hum sounds the same way as Rekha Bhardwaj and I didn't think it was her until I went out to read who sang.
Final Analysis and Stars: That said, Shikara offers excellent performance and focuses on pain in a "love story". You would connect with the characters, but being politically correct will be a debate between those who see it.
3 STARS!
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