Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Renzil D’Silva
Producer: Karan Johar
Banner: Dharma Productions
Star Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri, Rupinder Nagra, Diya Mirza
Storyline:
Debutant director Rensil D’Silva’s ability to maintain the intense graph of Kurbaan is the biggest highlight of this film.
Avantika played by Kareena comes to Delhi from USA. In Delhi she meets with Ehsaan played by Saif Ali Khan who is a lecturer of Islamic Studies in Delhi University. Avantika also starts working as a professor of Psychology in Delhi University.
They move to US after getting married in Delhi. But later Kareena Kapoor aka Avantika comes to know that Ehsaan was playing a game with her and he is a terrorist and married her to hide his identity from the world. Ehsaan kept her inside the house. Soon Avantika comes to know about the plans of Ehsaan to hijack an airplane……
After an arresting start, the film gets a little shaky. Post interval the pace slackens and the tension between the lead characters becomes monotonous. In the second hour you often find yourself wanting some more action to give some respite from the talk heaviness. The writers run out of surprises in this part of thefilm. Given its grim plot, two hours and forty minutes is way too long for an average cinegoer. A taut, complex film starts culminating into a routine FBI chase. Things however pick up in a lengthy but well-executed climax shot on a subway station.
The movie seems to be any other movie but it has something that will keep you get engaged till the last moment. Salim-Sulaiman and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have given again their best. Some songs comes up really melodious. Saif has done a very good job. Kareena looks ok. Kareena backless/topless scene just looks in the poster outside of the theater. But in the movie there is nothing too much to watch about the Kareena’s hot scene. The movie’s cost was around 50 crores and that will come back in the producer’s hands easily. No doubt in that. Even the movie is a directorial debut for Rensil D’Silva, he has done very nice job. Surely Karan Johar shared his experiences with him that also looks on screen. The movie is a mixture of love and terrorism.
Kurbaan works in most parts because the director keeps the cinematic coincidences and liberties to the minimum. And wherever you do sense a leap of faith it is not jarring. Secondly, despite knowing how the characters will react, Rensil manages to shock you with his scenes. Note the moment where Saif reveals his identity. You know what it is all about, yet it hits you hard. Rensil doesn’t digress from his core plot right up to the climax – which might meet with mixed reactions.
However it is Vivek Oberoi who delivers a spontaneous performance. His character gives the film some much-needed energy. Vivek’s part has more range than the lead pair’s. Dia Mirza and Nauheed Cyrusi get the most significant guest appearances of their lives. Om Puri and Kirron Kher are clichéd but deliver some brilliant dialogues.
Salim-Suleiman’s haunting tunes add to the stark premise of the film – especially Ali Maula. Technically the production values are top-notch even though cleverly inspired by Hollywood. Inconsistencies aside, Kurbaan is undoubtedly among the most watchable films of the season.
Kurbaan could have been a tighter and perhaps slightly more engrossing film. But considering it is the director’s maiden effort – full marks to Rensil D’Silva. He does well to stay away from any frothy elements at the cost of sacrificing the mass entertainment value. It’s mostly a gripping thriller with several shock moments.
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