Review - Kabul Express

[Subhash]

Kabul Express

Kabul Express.gif

Language: Hindi
Year: December, 2006
Actors: John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Hanif Hum Ghum, Linda Arsenio
Director & Writer: Kabir Khan
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Music: Raghav Sachar
Lyrics: Aditya Dhar

Throughout 2006 stories circulated about death threats against the makers of Kabul Express, as cast and crew risked life and limb to complete the shoot. That it got made at all is a significant achievement, so it's all the more astounding that the result demonstrates such an exemplary standard of filmmaking. Complex and contentious issues are conveyed with much heart in a simply told yet highly evocative story.

Indian journalists Suhel Khan (Abraham) and Jai Kapoor (Warsi) embark on a trip to Afghanistan in the hope of interviewing a member of the Taliban. Faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the two are taken hostage by Imran Khan Afridi (Shahid), an escaping Pakistani colonel and Taliban member. With their driver and an American journalist in tow, their dangerous journey through the heart of Afghanistan forces them to confront the beliefs that divides them, and the humanity that binds them.

The practical difficulties of filming in war-torn Afghanistan aside, the flight of the Taliban is not the most obvious subject matter for a film, particularly from production company Yash Raj, purveyors of romantic dramas for decades past. It's a bold undertaking on many fronts, but to then place two secondary commercial Indian actors at the helm and pack the film full of laughs you'd have to be armed with an exceptional script, an unwavering belief in the story and a bold determination for this story to be told. Fortunately, director Kabir Khan had it all. From the opening frames, Kabul Express is captivating.

The performances are excellent. Arshad Warsi is the perfect comic foil to Abraham's straight man, while Abraham executes his role with necessary sincerity, and Warsi excels as the wise-cracking cameraman. Blessed with the film's best lines, Warsi's deadpan delivery and comic timing are key to making the humour work. Salim Shahid, meanwhile, achieves an expert balance as their captor, revealing hidden depths to his cold-hearted extremist and humanising the Taliban. While Linda Arsenio serves as the obligatory eye-candy, she nevertheless has a significant role to play in the proceedings and is well cast.

The film captures the shifting dynamic as these five strangers and fated foes establish an unlikely comradeship. The well-honed script is key, and Khan uses humour to the greatest effect, conveying both the tragedy and utter absurdity of the religious conflict. The cinematography is the biggest surprise of the film: the ravaged Afghan landscape is celebrated, and Khan finds beauty in the midst of desolation.

There's a definite nod to Bosnian Oscar winner No Man's Land, but Kabul Express is very much based on the personal experiences of Kabir Khan as he ventured through Afghanistan. As such, the film is clearly invested with much heart and the kind of passion that was necessary for Kabul Express to be made. Kudos to all who made it happen against the odds.

Verdict
An outstanding film which makes its point subtly, seamlessly blending pathos with sparkling humour and powerful imagery to present its bold political commentary.