Movie review : Kabul Express

I have my mind set against all Bollywood movies, which said to be shot abroad. Usually it turns out to be an over-aged college student (typically in his 30s or 40s) and his (variable entity) dancing on European footpath, with a dozen of half-naked European babes (strictly babes, no dudes). Location can be Swiss mountains with the same team dancing in Bollywood invented steps, holding mutkas (pots…. but why pots??). Movie usually has a plot of our heroes’ (ati-vinayi, parama-dayalu, sajjan) love story with heroin (sushil, soubhagyavati) and … hey you’ve seen them. I used to get vomiting sensation with all these karan johar, yash, ghai movies lately.

I would have missed an awesome movie, if the movie name was bit less attractive. “Kabul Express” is a rare movie. I think it is the only travelogue produced by Bollywood (if I am not wrong). I still can’t imagine a yash production finished movie without a “zara sa jhoom lon me … “in Afghani mountains, without any typical “Hindi Masala” or without any “item songs”.

Why Kabul express is different?

• dialogues are written as natural as possible, Indian speaks Hindi/ Indian English , , American speaks English (US) , Pakistani

  

  speaks Urdu and Afghanis speak Afghani ( or pashtuni .. whatever it is ) with subtitle displayed. Typically in Indian movie whole world speaks Hindi /Tamil etc.

• No songs, no dance, Hero does not fight, heroin does not weep, Rakhi savant don’t strip etc etc so may differences.
• Excellent sense of humor (by arshad varsi.. I just love this guy). John Abraham is just OK in comparison with him (why this guy is still in industry?)
• Movie is bold. It shows/tells what actually happened (or might have happened) in Afghanistan and Pakistan politically and socially. Directors most of the time fear to present all the things they have in mind (fearing fatwa/censor)

What could have been better?

• Movie could have covered more shots of damage on general social life in Afghanistan.
• The encounter with a Talib is presented in light way. Talib argues for kapildev/imran khan etc. The character of Talib in the movie does not support strength of the name. It’s like “My funny encounter with a Talib”. Technically, it’s not a Talib they meet, a Pakistani agent instead. He is a moderate Taliban (moderate Talib …! what is that??). In the movie he does not represent all inhumane ideas of Taliban regime had, but represents politically true (i feel) Pakistani conspiracy.

Flaws .., I forgive them.

Imran khan afridi (Talib in the movie) is undercover Pakistani agent in the movie, but was not able to ask “Can you drive this vehicle “in English. Please ignore this flaw, if it is true that Pakistan recruits officers who can not speak English (any Pakistani fellow bloggers … please educate me on this)