MaverickMcArthur

Do you remember having seen any film where the villian spares the hero's life and rides towards the sunset?

One of the photographs provided with the Musafir listing in IMDB is Sanjay Dutt holding a bag while seated on a bike with his bavk towards the camera. That's the final scene of Musafir.

Dutt not only spares Anil Kapoor's life but also gives him some cash to start afresh. I have never seen a more powerful villian in Indian cinema before.

Lion, Gabbar, Shakaal, Mogambo and even Dutt's Kancha Cheena - all high profile bad guys in Hindi cinema - were eventually vanquished and killed by the hero. Musafir is different in this regard.

Long before he got typecast in Hindi and southern sambhar that is marketed as cinema, Dutt played the villian in what can be construed as one of his most underrated of performances.

Musafir is an adapatation of Oliver Stone's U Turn. Like the original the movie is dark and morbid. The only time the spirits get lifted is when Dutt appears on screen. His character was absent in U Turn.

In fact, when Kapoor, in his desperation to land a role in Stone's next, showed him Musafir, and said he was playing Sean Penn's role, the director was not impressed. He found Dutt's Billa more impressive.

It goes on to show that you can grab meaty roles in Indian cinema, by setting a field and sucking up to makers, but the move falls flat in Hollywood. In fact, if he had had his way Kapoor would have usurped Khalnayak (1993), but Ghai remained adamant.

In Musafir, Kapoor is the lead, no doubt, but his leading man is probably the weakest since his dear friend Sunny Deol's leading man outing in Yash Chopra's Darr (1993). In Darr, SRK stole Deol's thunder so much so that the 68-year-old never worked with a big name thereafter. In Musafir, Dutt relegates Kapoor to the sidelines. Such is the impact. And like SRK in Darr, Dutt also gets the best songs in Musafir (Saaki Saaki, Tezz Dhar..).

Kapoor managed to grab a leading role in a film helmed by Sanjay Gupta, back then a director in Dutt's camp. However, he was completely overshadowed by Dutt's charisma, personality and screen presence. This, despite the fact, that Dutt's role is essentially an extended cameo.

Unfortunately, the film underperformed, and Dutt's effort remained underrated. If Dutt didn't have that dastardly habit of having a callous attitude towards work, and the reluctance to highlight/promote his films like his peers, many of his performances (including this) would have got the recognition they deserved. Alas...

Baramulla is the best film to come out of Indian cinema in 2025. Period.

Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar have got it right on almost all counts.

Manav Kaul, who is coincidentally born in Baramulla, gives a restrained performance. In what is an extremely difficult role, Kaul displays a perfect combination of strength and vulnerability.

Bhasha Sumbli, who is also from Kashmir, is equally good in the role of Kaul's wife. All the other actors are good.

However, Baramulla is not only about acting and direction. It is about being clever. The film smartly juxtaposes the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits at the hands of the peacefuls with horror.

Making use of authentic locations, great camera work and an overall dark setting, Baramulla is essentially a socio-politically commentary that is infused with supernatural elements. The actual horror is what the Pandits faced before being forced to leave their homes. It is the story of their plight that no one was willing to hear, for a long time.

VVC made a pathetic movie on the subject. The Kashmir Files was conveniently dismissed as a propaganda film, largely owing to a loquacious director. In fact, the leftist-liberals are quick to dismiss any movie that showcases the not so peaceful activities of the peacefuls. Movies on real subjects are conveniently dismissed unless the peacefuls are shown as divine souls. In fact, in most reviews Baramulla has been conveniently dismissed by the critics and the media alike, simply because it doesn't toe their line.

As a film, though, Baramulla succeeds. It is a smartly packaged reality check, that has been smartly marketed and released.

For starters, it has released directly on OTT. So there is no scope for poster burning. Secondly, it has been promoted as a thriller with supernatural elements. Kudos to the makers for the smart packaging.

Aditya Suhas Jambhale is credited as the director, but it is clearly a Aditya Dhar film. Only a Kashmiri Pandit can understand the suffering of his people, something that the world is guilty of either spreading misinformation or conveniently ignoring.

Watching the movie will make you feel perhaps supernatural intervention is required to punish such perpetartors for their heinous crimes. It doesn't matter if it is Armenia, Germany, India, Lebanon, Nigeria or Sweden. The authorities don't and won't care. Neither will the liberal media. They never have.

Baramulla is a must watch.

BRILLIANT!