Review : Kabul Express

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Rating : Above Average (3.4/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2006
Running time : 2 hours
Director : Kabir Khan
Cast : John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Hanif Hum Ghum, Salman Shahid, Linda Arsenio

KABUL EXPRESS : A BOLLYWOOD-ISED DOCUMENTARY

This is directed by documentary film maker Kabir Khan, so it is expected that it has a documentar-ish flavor to it. Still Khan manages to squeeze in a few light moments in this story of a desolate Afghanistan.

Suhel Khan (Abraham), a journalist and Jai Kapoor (Warsi) his cameramen, journey into Kaabul with the main idea being to get an interview with members of the Taliban. This turns out to be an inordinately difficult task, since firstly the Taliban are in hiding, and secondly the intrepid journalist duo haven’t done their homework – they haven’t a map, research, or any information. Similarly clueless is American journalist Jessica (Arsenio), whom they meet up with. She decides to travel with them, and the trio meander through the ruins of Kaabul with their driver Khyber (Ghum) and his trusty Toyota – Kabul Express.

They finally get their moment when Talib soldier Imran (Shahid) takes them hostage and forces them to turn the jeep towards the Pakistani border. Actually of the Pakistani army, Imran is working for the Taliban under orders from the Pakistani bosses, and now wishes to return to his country. Through the journey the group runs into lots of trouble, but this cements a bond between them, one human to another and exposes the real culprits – countries fighting wars for booty at the cost of their countrymen.

Kabir Khan takes potshots at everyone but India – Pakistan is a heartless nation sacrificing it’s soldiers under American pressure, and the US is corrupted by greed. The locales are shot realistically but the characters don’t stick that well and appear flat. The 2 Indian journalists appear to be greenhorns at war-reporting – which was probably intended. However they also appear dumb, which I’m not sure was intentional. The film as a whole appears to be a very on-the-surface treatment, and doesn’t get down and dirty. I mean, where’s the angst, the emotion , the baggage which comes with a war-torn country ? Where’s the stuff that could have transformed this film into a fantastic movie ? Because it did have potential.

The pace of the film drags in the first half, and the film could have been much tighter. Acting wise Warsi comes out the winner, but then he is an excellent actor. Salman Shahid is also very convincing as a Pakistani soldier in the employ of the Taliban. Hum Ghum is OK. John and Linda can be qualified as dramatically challenged.

The film while different (no songs) and an honest attempt to depict Afghanistan’s plight doesn’t have what it takes to go commercial. There is a difference between documentary and Bollywood and Kabir apparently can’t make up his mind on what genre to play up.

Still, worth a watch.