Wednesday

When the terrorist calls!

A retired police commissioner sits on a bench on Marine Drive and goes back in thoughts.. and is reminded of the most unforgettable day in his life.. a Wednesday.

The Commissioner (Anupam Kher) apparently an expert at cracking terrorism cases, gets a call from an unknown number – it’s a threat that 4 bombs have been planted at different places in the city. They will blow the city apart at the same time. There is only one option: Hand over 4 arrested Islamic Terrorists. The police are shown to act with poise under the leadership of Kher. Loyal officers, all willing to give their lives for the project to save Mumbai, is a heartwarming feeling, especially at a time when bomb blasts are more frequent than film releases.
In Anupam’s restless eyes you see the intensity to nail down the terrorist. His body language and the crisp dialogues go hand in hand to convince you that he is indeed the best man for the job (both as the policeman and as the actor). And then there is Nasseerruddin Shah, whose composed demeanour and mastery over the medium shows in every word he utters. Making calls every now and then which can’t be traced by outdated government softwares, his character drives the plot with every clue and hint he gives.

The plot and its twists leading to one of contemporary Bollywood’s most intelligent ends, is a crisp presentation made in a very international form.
God bless bollywood for movies like ‘A Wednesday’. Relevant, convincing and compelling, the movie takes you inside the heart of a Mumbaikar (or as in today’s case a Delhi-ite, a Ahemedabad- ite or the many cities that are under the shadows of terrorism) It moves you to tears with the helplessness of a common-man. It shakes you with the realization that when a bomb kills, it does see the religion of the victims. It just kills.

Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah lead the ensemble cast with apt finesse. Naseeruddin Shah evokes tears with his final few lines. The support cast does well.. Special mention of Jimmy Shergill whose only task is to beat up the bad guy to extract information (so much that the bad guy that he wets his pants the next time he sees him). But the smile he gives when the Islamic extremist throws sermons of Jehaad at him is a slap on the face of the terrorists who think that Indian Muslims will fall for that pseudo-religious trap!

Bravo!

It is unfortunate that Taare Zameen Par released the same year as ‘A Wednesday’, for this film has equal Oscar potential (if not more) .
4.5 stars