Kurbaan - Movie Review

Post 9/11, there's anger, distrust, suspicion, uneasiness all around. Not a day passes when you don't hear of terrorists killing civilians in the name of religion.

Many storytellers have, in the past, narrated stories about terrorists and their nefarious and despicable plans. But let me state one thing categorically. You haven't watched a more profound, a more thought-provoking, a more dramatic story on this subject before KURBAAN. It's not just the most powerful film to come out of Dharma Productions, it's the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry this year, thus far.

KURBAAN tries to penetrate into the psyche of not just the terrorist, but also someone who has been a helpless spectator all this while. This film is sure to spark off discussions and debates, although it must also be noted that it doesn't take sides or gets preachy.

Rensil D'Silva has chosen a burning issue for his directorial debut, which is a complete departure from Karan Johar's earlier films. For some inexplicable reasons, parallels are being drawn with FANAA [Aamir Khan, Kajol] and NEW YORK [John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif], but the fact remains that barring the backdrop of terrorism, there's no similarity with those films.

I've often felt that certain films are beyond box-office. Movies are not meant to merely entertain, but enlighten and educate as well. They need to prick your conscience and in the process, make an attempt to make this world a better place. KURBAAN does just that and for this very reason, it deserves a double thumbs up.

Final word? Drop everything else you're doing to watch KURBAAN. Movies like these need to be made, encouraged and lauded.

Avantika [Kareena Kapoor] is a teacher at a university in Delhi. She has come back from New York where she teaches, because her father [Aakash Khurana] has suffered a heart attack. During this period, she meets a Professor called Ehsaan Khan [Saif Ali Khan]. Soon, they begin seeing each other and love blossoms.

A few months later, Avantika receives a call from her university in New York, asking her to come back. Avantika breaks the news to Ehsaan. He, in turn, tells her he doesn't mind coming to the States with her. But first they need to get married.

Soon after the marriage, they leave to start a new life in New York. They buy a house in an Indian neighbourhood and move in. Just as they are setting up home, their conservative Muslim neighbours invite them over for dinner. The next morning, Salma [Nauheed Cyrusi], one of the women Avantika met the night before at the dinner, visits her under the pretext of gifting her sweets.

When Avantika invites her in, Salma tells her that she is in grave danger. Nothing is what it seems. Salma pleads with Avantika to help her. What follows next is a series of incidents that sucks Avantika into a vortex of danger and intrigue. As her life spirals out of control, Avantika realizes that she is a pawn in a huge game.

KURBAAN has two stories running concurrently - the love story between Saif and Kareena and the story of Islamic terrorists. Rensil sets the stage in the initial 15 minutes itself, after which there's a twist in the tale every 15-20 minutes, which catches you completely unaware. Rensil doesn't borrow from the past, which makes the proceedings thoroughly captivating.

The highpoint is the 35-minute climax, which leaves you spellbound. The culmination to the story shakes you completely, largely because it's pragmatic and has been executed most logically as well. In fact, filming the climax at the various underground tube stations must've been the toughest challenge for the director.

On the flip side, KURBAAN caters more to the intelligentsia or the thinking viewer and might not be lapped up whole-heartedly by those who survive on the staple diet of hardcore masala fares.

Some of the finest technicians in the business are associated with KURBAAN. Hemant Chaturvedi's cinematography is super. The film bears an international look all through. Salim-Sulaiman's music is well integrated in the narrative. At least two tracks merit a mention - 'Shukran Allah' and 'Ali Maula'. Anurag Kashyap and Niranjan Iyengar's dialogue are superb. The lines enhance the impact of several sequences. Thrills are, again, in sync with the mood of the film.

KURBAAN is embellished with superlative performances. Saif is extra-ordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in LOVE AAJ KAL a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in KURBAAN. As for Kareena, KURBAAN reiterates one fact yet again: She's the best in the business. No two opinions on that! Watch her get those emotional sequences right, it's incredible. Here's a performance that truly merits the highest praise and admiration, besides fetching her awards and accolades.

Vivek Oberoi is fantastic. Matching Saif and Kareena at every step, KURBAAN should be the turning point in Vivek's career. It's a difficult role to portray and only an actor with a wide range could've portrayed this part so effectively. Om Puri is top notch and so is Kirron Kher. Kirron is marvellous, especially in the penultimate scene. Dia Mirza, Nauheed Cyrusi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda lend credibility to their brief roles.

On the whole, KURBAAN is the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry in 2009, so far. The film has a captivating plot, gripping screenplay, super performances and a climax that shakes you up completely. Watching this movie should be on top of your agenda this week.

Karan ki Kurbaani

Both Kurbaan and New York are about terrorism, but that doesn’t mean they have the same story.

The backdrop of global terrorism is the common factor, but the narrative structure and the characters are very different in the two films. Adi and I are best friends so we aren’t stupid to make films with the same story. I hope audiences like Kurbaan,’ clarifies Karan Johar.

Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna in 2006 was the last film KJo directed and MNIK is now in post production to release in 2010. In the meanwhile, Wake Up Sid! and Dostana were only produced by him and directed by newcomers Ayan Mukerji and Tarun Mansukhani respectively. ‘Tarun, Ayan and Siddarth Malhotra have assisted me on my films. So I know them. I always choose my ADs after immense consideration because I don’t want people simply occupying space in my office. They have to be talented and they have to stay. I don’t want them to do one film with Dharma and leave. I am only going to work with new directors and some of them have a three-film contract with Dharma. I don’t want to work with established directors,’ he says, adding, ‘I am very happy with the results of Wake Up Sid! and Dostana and excited about the upcoming films.’

Karan had the plot of Kurbaan ready way back in 2001 and the film was going to be called Kaal. Sanjay Dutt, SRK and Tabu were to be part of it but the film never materialized. ‘That Kaal never got made. I shared the story idea with Rensil and he built a screenplay around it, which resulted in Kurbaan starring Saif and Kareena. From the onset, we wanted them to star in it. I love the way the film has turned out,’ comments Karan.

About Kurbaan’s director, Rensil D’silva, KJo says, ‘Rensil and I first interacted on the screenplay and story of Kurbaan. I felt that he had a desire to direct a film and I respected his aesthetics and writing, so that is how Kurbaan happened.’

Kurbaan - First Look

Saif and Bebo's lovemaking sequence in Qurbaan might overshadow the rest

Rensil D'Silva, who's now working on the final schedule of his directorial debut Qurbaan is afraid that a love-making sequence between Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan might become the central point of interest for his film, overshadowing the powerful theme of a terrorist's road to atonement.

"That fear is there, I can't deny it.

The love-making sequence, though absolutely essential to the film is explicit and honest enough to become a focal point of interest for the audience. There's enough sexual repression in our country.

A section of the audience might decide to see the film only to see the real-life couple making love on screen. It would be tragic."


Kareena and Saif's love-making sequence incorporates the longest kissing sequence of their individual careers.

So far Kareena's sister Karisma holds the record for the longest kissing sequence on screen with Aamir Khan in Raja Hindustani. Will Qurbaan break that record?

"I don't know," shrugs Rensil. "I wasn't clocking the kiss or the length of the lovemaking scene.

Nor have I seen Raja Hindustani. But I do know Kareena and Saif were thorough professionals and were able to do the difficult scene so smoothly because of their comfort level."

The set had been cleared of the entire crew except the director and cameraman. "It was not an easy sequence to shoot. It was an aesthetic experience. And I hope the audience treats it that way."

Saif-Karan having trouble with names

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan tried hard to push for Jehaad as the title for the Rensil D’Silva directed film on Islamic terrorism, insisting on calling the film Jehaad in all their press interviews when it was not the official title.

But producer Karan Johar and D’Silva are being cautious and have decided against naming the film Jehaad. Apparently, with the film already being looked at with some curiosity and suspicion in the global market, the makers did not want to send out the wrong signal at the international market at Cannes. They did not wish to put off the western audiences by calling the film Jehaad which is the Islamic term for Holy War. They did not want the title to incorrectly sound in favour of Islamic terrorism.

Our source said, “As soon as the title Qurbaan is made official, Karan and Rensil plan to call a press conference to correct the media perception that the film is called Jehaad. Since Kareena and Saif used Jehaad in all their interviews, it will take some time for Jehaad to get out of the public’s mind. They have made a gripping thriller on terrorism. The narration is taut and uninterrupted by Bollywood formulae like songs, dances and melodrama. Kareena and Saif have even done one of the boldest love sequences ever. “

When contacted Rensil said, “We did consider it but it is unlikely that we will call the film Jehaad. Karan and I need to sit down and talk about it, but he has gone off to Cannes.”

Before departing for Cannes, Karan had refrained from commenting on the title. He seemed more excited about walking the red carpet, albeit solo.“That’s the status of my life- single. And that is how it shall be at Cannes, or anywhere else,” Karan said. He represents an alcohol brand at Cannes while Aishwarya Rai Bachchan represents another company. “So at least I’ll be with a dear friend at Cannes,” Karan remarked.