Kabul Express is a story of two Indian journalists who go to Afghanistan to interview Taliban and their (mis)adventures in the war torn, now forgotten country. The movie is an adventure ride with a dash of comedy and emotions, a Hollywood Chicken Tikka Masala, if you so please.
Historically I am not sure how correct is the movie. I do not think that an extensive research on the history of Afgan conflict was part of the making. Too many Aghans spoke and understood Hindi for my liking. And how correct is the depiction of war journalism, is best left to a professional for comments (though John's character admits in the beginning being a Rookie)
But if you look beyond these (minor) flaws, the film has more that its share of moments. The plot, though follows predictable lines, is well knit and keeps the audience interested. A lot a time has been spent on each character so you end up empathizing with each of them, more so with the driver/guide Khyber and the on-the-run Talib, Imran Khan (The verbal duels of Imran with Khyber and Arshad's character should not be missed). The screenplay is majestic and eerie at the same time...which I guess comes naturally when shooting in the Afghanistan backdrop. Acting is very competent and so is the background score
And in between the journey and the jokes, the movie also makes an attempt to point fingers for the mess Afghanistan has become. To its credit it takes different view points, that of an Afghan, A Talib, a Pakistani, an Indian and, to some extent, an American. The blame is shared expectedly by Pakistan, America and Islamic fundamentalism. There is plenty of America bashing otherwise as well, reflecting the global dip in popularity of the Land of the Brave
Kabul Express is a ride to the frontiers relatively unknown to Indian Cinema audience. It is a must see just for that reason alone. But I am sure you will find more, as I did.
Historically I am not sure how correct is the movie. I do not think that an extensive research on the history of Afgan conflict was part of the making. Too many Aghans spoke and understood Hindi for my liking. And how correct is the depiction of war journalism, is best left to a professional for comments (though John's character admits in the beginning being a Rookie)
But if you look beyond these (minor) flaws, the film has more that its share of moments. The plot, though follows predictable lines, is well knit and keeps the audience interested. A lot a time has been spent on each character so you end up empathizing with each of them, more so with the driver/guide Khyber and the on-the-run Talib, Imran Khan (The verbal duels of Imran with Khyber and Arshad's character should not be missed). The screenplay is majestic and eerie at the same time...which I guess comes naturally when shooting in the Afghanistan backdrop. Acting is very competent and so is the background score
And in between the journey and the jokes, the movie also makes an attempt to point fingers for the mess Afghanistan has become. To its credit it takes different view points, that of an Afghan, A Talib, a Pakistani, an Indian and, to some extent, an American. The blame is shared expectedly by Pakistan, America and Islamic fundamentalism. There is plenty of America bashing otherwise as well, reflecting the global dip in popularity of the Land of the Brave
Kabul Express is a ride to the frontiers relatively unknown to Indian Cinema audience. It is a must see just for that reason alone. But I am sure you will find more, as I did.
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