FILM REVIEW: SEHAR (2005)

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Mahima Chaudhary, Pankuj Kapur, Sushant Singh, Suhasini Mulay, Pratima Kazmi, Ravi Jhankal
Direction: Kabeer Kaushik
Production: Ashvin J Patel
Genre: Action
Music: Daniel B George

Arshad Warsi as SSP Ajay Singh
Mahima Choudhary as Anamika Kant a lecturer in the University
Sushant Singh as Gajraj Singh - the Mafia Don
Pankaj Kapur as Bhole Shankar Tiwari a Reader in the University specialized in IT

The first film ever made on the real life action story of the Special Task Force (STF) that succeeded in challenging the might of ‘organized crime’ and Mafia in Uttar Pradesh.

Kabeer Kaushik, the Ad Filmmaker becomes a debutant director with his first ‘unconventional’ creation SEHAR(the four crore project) produced by Ashwin J Patel. Arshad Warsi would lead in a serious role for the first time.

Sehar is narrated by a telecommunications expert Bhole, who in the early days of cell phones, was recruited by the UP cops to nail a dreaded mafia don. The story continues, 31-year-old cop Ajay Kumar is the newly appointed S.S.P. of Lucknow who has already been transferred 14 times in his 6 years of duty. Thanks to his honesty! Along comes his mother (Suhasini Mulay), who is disappointed at the changing face of her city U.P.

Ajay Kumar is given the case of a gangster’s murder that was killed in broad daylight (the infamous Sri Prakash Shukla murder case). It turns out that the gangster was killed by another rival gangster Gajraj who enjoys a strong influence among political circles and police force. Gajraj is upcoming don who is in lookout for ‘absolute power’. The first step for this is gaining railway tenders running in millions for which a number of parties are in fray.

In his mission of eliminating the organized crime from the land of UP, Ajay is supported by the IDG. He proposes an idea of forming a Special Task Force [STF] that would comprise of committed officers who do not require any permission before they shoot.

They get the go-ahead by the people in power as the Chief Minister’s NRI friend is killed and his grandson kidnapped. All hell breaks loose as the world of crime becomes the play thing by this efficient team of 8-10 police officers.

But this is not where it ends!

The cellular services that had just begun in 1997 threaten to nullify their attempt since there was no way of tapping the calls happening on cell phones.

They take help of Bhole Shankar Tiwari an IT professor based in Lucknow University, who help the team beat the mafia with their own technology. He helps the team tap the phones of influential people that in turn track the mafia through electronic surveillance.

In his fight against the gangsters and the corrupt ones, Ajay has the moral support and the love of Police Commissioner’s daughter Anamika. Sehar is a drama based on the railway contract crime in UP, so director Kaushik used trains as visual metaphor and shot the climax on it.

Kaushik takes you about a decade back in time when the state of UP was beginning to get engulfed in the ugly world of “organized crime". The film is shot in stark documentary style that moves at a no-nonsense pace and despite some needless diversions, shy romance with Mahima and a quick glimpse into Ajay’s past (his father committed suicide) it concentrates on the cop-versus-mafia face offs.

Arshad Warsi gets into the skin of the character but who may come as a shocker to his hardcore funster fans. He brings the requisite angst, anger, frustration and self-control in his character. Sincere performances all round, and dialogues are a delight. Mahima Chaudhary has been cast for the glamour bit than taking the story forward. Pankaj Kapoor is noteworthy. Sushant Singh does his part effectively. The background score is alright. Dialogues get well with the mood of the film.

Kabeer Kaushik first feature Sehar is an earnest, well-researched film, but with subject which the audience is already fatigued. It has just one song but that and even the romance bit looks strained in the narrative. The screenplay slackens at places. The best thing about the movie is the climax, filmed in a moving train. Prior to that, the sequence when the cops rescue a kidnapped kid from the clutches of the gangsters is well executed.

Sehar has a one-dimensional plot, which may sound interesting but it may not necessarily excite a moviegoer seeking entertainment-driven content. SEHAR in Urdu means Morning or Dawn. Will it bring a new dawn for the director and the film, it remain a question.

RS Rating: 5/10

Credit: This review was submitted by Ankit Jain of Footprints.in. They run their own movie Blog at DCECinemas. To submit your own review for posting on radiosargam.com please email.

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