I just finished seeing what I consider to be one of the best products of hindi cinema, or overall even. Rarely have I seen a movie so fine as this one. Aamir, starring Rajeev Khandelwal, is a movie to reckon with. A forceful direction by a first-time director, Raj Kumar Gupta, superbly shot in the heart of Mumbai, starring one of the most restrained actors I've had the fortune to see. The movie is extremely short by normal Bollywood standards, just over one and a half hours. But what you get is pure class. The movie takes up the old theme of jihad and tells you how something extraordinary can actually stem out from the ordinary. No one would ever believe that a guy who is suspected to be a terrorist can actually be a completely innocent man. Yet, when you watch the movie, you realise it's perfectly possible. The movie made me think – how many of the people we accuse of being terrorists are actually one? It grips you, increases your heartbeat rate, makes you realise how much horror can be present in a perfectly normal environment. It makes you cry for Aamir, for his helplessness, for his family, and for the ultimate win of good over evil – which is not known to anybody else and would never be known.
When you see how superb the movie is, you get to know the level of involvement and dedication of the entire cast and crew. But most prominently, you see a debutant who is in a race with the Khans, the Roshans and the Kapoors, and who beats everyone hands down. Earlier, I considered Hindi cinema to have only Aamir Khan as a true actor. I'm glad to say that now there are two true actors now. Words fail me as I try to write about Rajeev Khandelwal. His performance speaks for himself. One of the finest ever. The music score, given by Amit Trivedi, also a first-time music director, is soulful and incorporates a lot of sufi. My personal favourites are 'Mehfooz' and 'Ek Lau', both of which moved me tremendously.
Aamir is definitely a must-watch, not to be easily forgotten. One of the best pieces of art to come in our way in a long, long time.
Rating – 10/10.
The Devil is a Woman! 