The Background
Since Burhan Wani’s killing, the Kashmir valley was in unrest in 2016. On 18th September 2016, at dawn around 5:30 AM, four gunmen entered the Army Base Camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir and killed 19 soldiers. In response to this cowardly attack, the Indian Army carried out a surgical strike ten days later on 29th September.
The Movie
In the debutant movie of director and writer Aditya Dhar, he deals with the proceedings of this solid response from our forces and shows how they were backed up by our bureaucrats.
The movie begins with the first incident of the surgical strike, which only a few of us know about: the strike over the Indo-Myanmar border on 10th June 2016. This surprise package for the audience was, in my opinion, a great move by the filmmakers. Contrary to claims of "propaganda" or "hyper-nationalism" mentioned by The Wire, it is just a story of the bravery of Indian forces. If this is hyper-nationalism, then yes, our army needs such nationalism.
The Role of Prime Minister Modi
Another frequent criticism is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's importance in the entire operation is overhyped. I found this to be absolutely wrong. By the same logic, President Barack Obama's role in Zero Dark Thirty could also be considered overhyped. These claims appear to be propaganda from opposition groups seeking to create controversy. The entire movie is based on the true events of the surgical strike.
Acting and Performances
The casting was fantastic. Vicky Kaushal delivered an outstanding performance, and Paresh Rawal, who was the actual mastermind behind both these strikes, was equally impressive. Yami Gautam did justice to her role, and Mohit Raina, introduced through this film, also stood out.
Overall Experience
One should go and watch this movie and feel proud of our army. Those opposing this movie seem to do so for their own agendas. There is nothing overhyped; it is a documentary based on actual facts and figures. Even the term "Naya Bharat" is used appropriately.
Technical Aspects
From a technical point of view, the movie is split into chapters, which I reckon is a great idea. Unlike Zero Dark Thirty or other warfare films, Uri is not a boring or dull movie. It is full of passion and emotions. My recommendation: just go and watch it and feel the josh.
Rating: 4.5/5