Rakesh k

First half damn good. Rest drags.

Good film. A tad too long with songs and excessive role to Madhuri Dikshit and Sunjay Dutt. Varun Dhawan's entry song is redundant and hackneyed. But as the film progresses, it overcomes its poor opening reels and tells a good story well, and, its message is very relevant. Superb performances by the younger cast help. Also, the DoP does not get too carried away with extreme LSs like Bhansali does, and sticks to closer compositions.

It's a deeply political film, underlining the distinction between India's deep religiosity caught in the rising tide of militant Hindutva that threatens to wipe out the very bedrock of Hindu faith, its attendant essence that places the divine and the humane on an even keel. Its end is tantalisingly open. Will the secularism that binds us together and has kept us secure will survive this communal flood.

The best part of the film is the final judgement that is read out. It is a lesson every Indian must internalise and carry in their heart.