Madras Cafe
Story: In the early 1990s,
India's battling rebel Tamils in Sri Lanka - how many losses win this war?
Review: Straight up,
Madras Cafe couldn't be more different to director Shoojit Sircar's Vicky
Donor. Political, tense, finally explosive, Madras Cafe is no picnic in the
neighborhood park. Major Vikram Singh (Abraham) lands in Sri Lanka, heading
RAW's covert operations. He must work with colleague Bala to get Anna Bhaskaran
(Rathnam), head of the rebel LTF group - "Also known as Tigers" - to
accept a peaceful resolution. Vikram knows Anna will be a huge challenge - what
surprises him is how many others he must face.
Madras Cafe
dives boldly into terrain Bollywood hasn't touched before. Its arsenal features
research, respect and bravely, no songs. But it's not arty or preachy anywhere.
Its first half is layered, complex trails - leaks, foreign interests, domestic
rivals - slowly revealed to Vikram. As RAW boss Robin Dutt (Basu) ups the
pressure, Vikram must move fast through sultry, dangerous airs. His foreign
journalist friend Jaya (Fakhri, apparently playing real-life journalist Anita
Pratap, who first interviewed LTTE chief Prabhakaran) knows this conflict's
heart even better than Vikram, whose discoveries, from Sri Lanka to South
Block, grow traumatic.
Madras Cafe's
true star is its story which builds up to an agonizing end. It brings to life
the Lankan war which many viewers were too young to have known. It highlights
India's ambiguous role, moving sensitively, taking no sides, except those of
relationships involving respect - but no romance - between Vikram and Jaya,
duty, victory and loss. Its second half grows more fraught and taut,
conspiracies and compulsions becoming clearer. John stays low-key and competent
as Vikram while supporting actors, like agents Bala, SP and Vasu, stand out.
Restrained performances by the LTF suicide bombers are chilling.
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