Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK) Rating: 4.9/5 stars
Nikhil Advani has finally come of age and moved out of the shadows of his larger- than-life mentor (read Karan Johar). After promising a lot in previous efforts, which have ranged from decent to below par, he's finally churned out a film that speaks volumes of his until now dormant talent. In "D-Day" we get a gritty action thriller that would put quite a few Hollywood spy films to shame.
The authentic representation of spy operations and the attention to minute details is quite staggering and unprecedented in Indian cinema, at least for a movie of this magnitude. Along with it boasting of quite a few spectacular action scenes and hard-hitting dialogues (dialogue writers Niranjan Iyengar and Ritesh Shah, take a bow), the film is also subtly interwoven with a couple of delicate emotional tracks that literally tear at your heartstrings when their realization is achieved.
The movie might have a first-rate and thoroughly researched script (again credit goes to Advani plus his co-writers Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair), but it wouldn't have struck such a profound impact almost instantly, if it wasn't for Nikhil Advani's spot-on direction that's replete with realistic action and pulsating suspense. However,equal credit for the movie's suspense and action scenes must go to the editing team (Unnikrishnan Payoor Parameswaran and Aarif Sheikh) and stunt director (John Street) respectively. Another reason why the movie looks so realistic and gritty is because of Tushar Kanti Ray spellbinding cinematography.
Finally, lets come to the performances, and what marvelous performances they are. Rishi Kapoor is literally a replica of India's most wanted man, while Arjun Rampal is the epitome of a hardcore, taciturn action hero. Huma Qureshi surprises us even further with yet another brilliant act, while supporting cast members like Aakash Dahiya, Shruti Haasan, and Nasser lend plenty of gravitas to the narrative.
And finally, its the powerhouse of talent, Irrfan Khan who completely steals the show all the way through, in spite of so many other resounding performances. Whether it be his angst, his emotional trauma, his trepidation, his anguish at not being as skillful as Rampal, his fear and love for his family, his delirious confusion, his patriotic convictions, or his hidden final agenda; the man pulls off one of the most complex characters to ever grace the Indian silver screen with elan and aplomb. Here is an actor who can literally do no wrong.
"D-Day" is the kind of movie that doesn't come very often, - at least in Bollywood - so don't miss up the opportunity of reveling in it on the big screen. Whether you're an action fan, a fan of suspenseful spy films, or a fan of realistic gritty cinema, this movie has ample reason to be visited again and again. This kind of an action-espionage thriller is a first for Indian cinema and a pure joy for action movie fans all over.
