The movie is set in Post 9/11 Afghanistan. The American bombing has destroyed the Taliban regime and the Taliban soldiers are trying to escape to Pakistan to escape the wrath of the Afghani army and public. Against the havoc-filled country two TV journalists Jai (Arshad Warsi) And Suhel (John Abraham) have entered Afghanistan with the aim to score a rare TV interview with a “Talib”. They are aided by their Afghan guide and translator Khyber(Hanif Hum Ghum) in a jeep called the “Kabul Express”. They get a lot of good footage of the Afghani way of life after 9/11 but nothing on the Taliban which is their main aim. One cold morning they get kidnapped at gunpoint by a Taliban fugitive who wants to escape over the border to Pakistan and needs their help. The kidnapper is Imran Khan (Salman Shahid) is actually a member of the Pakistani army who was asked by Pakistan to join the Taliban. He knows Jai and Suhels action won’t be questioned as they are journalists from India hence need their help to cross the border. Along the way they are joined by an American journalist Jessica(Linda Arsenio).
From here on begins their volatile and dangerous journey full of twists, turns and surprises as they head towards the Afghan-Pakistan border. What begins as a journey with the “enemy” turns into a journey of unlikely friendship, patriotism, war and politics unlike ever seen before.
The story by Kabir Khan is a complex one, and one that the writer knows very well. On paper it sounds like a simple journey with 5 very different people in one car, however touching upon issues like war, terrorism, nationalism and patriotism with a undercurrent of emotions and humour is not an easy feat and Khan presents the viewer with a unique and different story which is captivating and exciting on one level and humorous and poignant on another. The screenplay of the movie is outstanding. The director is no doubt fully am comfort and ease directing the movie in the turbulent country given he has already made several Award Winning Documentaries in Afghanistan. However he is clear with KABUL EXPRESS that his core purpose is to ENTERTAIN the viewer and not to present them with a barrage of facts. This is NOT a documentary by any stretch of the imagination and is a full fledged entertainer in a thriller format. Yes the proceedings and some of the themes and actions that unfold on screen are true-to-life and akin to reality however Khan is clear not to let the heavy stuff take over the entertainment factor. The first half establishes the characters and also gives startling background into the war torn country and the lifestyle of its people. The second half from when the Taliban member kidnaps them is when the story begins. The turn of events from this point on keep the viewer glued to their seats and it’s hard to look away. Crackling dialogues, superlative writing, top notch performances and expert execution makes the second half absolutely amazing.
As a director Kabir Khan makes a welcome debut in to Bollywood. This is by far the best film from the Yashraj Banner since BUNTY AUR BABLI, and before then I can’t even remember which film. It’s heartening to see a banner like Yashraj put money into a movie like this and give the makers full creative freedom. It’s a risk, it’s an experiment and it’s a very successful one at that. Director Kabir Khan is a genius! A brave new director in today’s modern wave of directors he comes well equipped with filmi knowledge and knows right from the start exactly what he’s making. The fact he’s shot the movie LIVE on location is one of the films largest USP’s right from the start as the dusty mountain terrains of Afghanistan becomes a character on it’s own. He is aware of the fundamental principals of making an entertainer and succeeds in his core purpose. The movies narrative is superb, what starts out as a “buddy” movie of sorts, slowly turns into a character drama with thrilling elements with a road movie as its core method of storytelling. The crux of the movie is no doubt the journey (in a real and figurative sense) that is experienced by our 5 characters. To ensure that the movie is NOT a heavy film throughout the director has superbly laced humour and a wonderful stroke of patriotism which is no doubt Kabir Khans masterstroke as well as the poignant scene in the second half. On paper this may sound like a paki-bashing film, however Kabir Khans aim is FAR from that. He has not made this movie just to bring down another nation and make a cheap quick buck, his intentions are noble, and he is a brave director who is simply not afraid to “call a spade a spade”. The politics in the movie are true to life, at times touchy and can be offensive to people as well, however the aim of the movie is simply to present the viewers with the facts and in the process entertaining them. Just witness the scene where the two Indians, the Pakistani and Afghanis are all humming to the one song—priceless! This isn’t shameless jingoistic propaganda either; this is very simply honest story telling with a message without compromising the entertainment factor either. WELCOME to Bollywood Mr. Khan.
The performances in the movie are no doubt the backbone of this enterprise and the movie is for the most top notch in this department.
John Abraham is OK in a subdued role here, but the role doesn’t demand much from him surprisingly. His character of Suhel is a principled one; however one that John hasn’t been able to etch out properly in parts. John looks smashing and delivers his lines well; however there are times where he comes across as wooden. He does leave his mark in several scenes nonetheless, and the most notable one being when the Pakistani Talib member is offering prayers and tells John “tum toh Hindustani Muslilman ho na” to which John fires a thought provoking reply.
Arshad Warsi is no doubt one of the movies scene stealers and gives a brilliant performance. Warsi combines his comic timing and talent with a dash of serious acting comes out wonders. There is no doubt Warsi is one of the finest comedians we have in India today as well as being a tremendous actor on the whole, and KABUL EXPRESS is yet another feather in his kitty. He plays the witty, short-fused, loud-mouthed character of Jai with flourish and lives the proceedings throughout the entire movie. His character is one that is infact a hardcore patriotic one and through him much of the movies “seeti taali” moments are bought to life. Just witness his little arguments with the Talib member about cricket to cigarettes-delightful! Keep up the superb work Mr. Warsi.
Salman Shahid as the Pakistani Talib member is outstanding, and gives an unforgettable account of himself. He looks the part he plays, and from his powerful and mesmerising delivery, flawless facial expressions to body language and expression of eyes this is a performance that deserves accolades. Salman understands the nuances of his character and brings the much needed humane angle to the part f a Talib member which has never been witnessed before. Eye opening stuff!
Hanif Hum Ghum is superb in his part as the Afghani. His argument with Salman over “who started the war” is simply a brilliant scene and Hanif shines throughout.
Linda Arsenio is good, but her character has been poorly etched. What could’ve been the”voice” of America comes across more as a weak cliché and the actress isn’t given many scenes to shine.
Technically this movie is an achieve and features some of the most striking and breath taking camerawork I have seen in recent times. The terrains of Afghanistan are bought to LIFE and act as a character itself in the movie. The movie has been captured on celluloid with total passion and it shows and oozes in every frame. Amitabh Shuklas editing is a job well done as well.
The movie is a songless one that works in the films favour as the movie doesn’t any songs and the storytelling and narrative smooth. The background score is memorable and utilised well in the movie.
KABUL EXPRESS is definitely a MUST-SEE and a movie that is not forgotten once seen. Yes, there are flaws however given this is a film from a debutant film maker these can be over-looked as the PRO’s definitely outweigh the CON’s here. It is hard to categorise a film like KABUL EXPRESS, it’s not a “thriller” nor a “drama” nor a “war” nor a “comedy” however it merged all these elements into the movie. The closest comparison I can draw is to Hollywoods striking and brilliant THREE KINGS, and though KABUL EXPRESS isn’t as good as THREE KINGS, it surely comes close. Hats off to Mr Kabir Khan and Aditya Chopra!
Final Rating: * * * *
