GUNJAN SAXENA: THE KARGIL GIRL

 #FinalVerdict: INSPIRATIONAL

Rating: 4 stars

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl reinvents the genre with its non-formulaic screenplay and skilled direction. This heartfelt biopic raises a toast to the daunting spirit of India's daughters!

The film captures Gunjan Saxena's effervescence and her professionalism, getting us invested in the character long before we see her take wing and be amazing. Especially in today's time, we should celebrate personalities like her who have been brave females. First-time director Sharan Sharma chooses a subject to send across a message. The larger message is that any woman can triumph over any uncertainty and surmount all apprehensions if she makes an earnest endeavour to overcome it. Also, one needs to applaud the endeavour because films like Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl take the unconventional route, yet enlighten and entertain, both. Sharan Sharma and Nikhil Mehrotra (story) make sure to stay faithful to the essence by not deviating to unwanted tracks.

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl grabs your attention from the commencement and never relents. Nikhil Mehrotra and Sharan Sharma's dialogues (additional dialogues by Hussain Dalal) elevate the overall impact. Moreover, the dialogues never turn too filmy. Nitin Baid's editing is perfect. Manush Nandan's cinematography stunningly captures the various moods of the film. Special mention to Marc Wolff's stunts and aerial coordination. Amit Trivedi's songs are situational. John Stewart Eduri's background score is perfect. Red Chillies' VFX is top-notch. Director Sharan Sharma's handling of dramatic moments is noteworthy.

Jhanvi Kapoor's Gunjan Saxena quietly seals a place in your heart. She lends her character the much-needed intensity and dignity. Not just his body language and expressions, but even Pankaj Tripathi's silence speaks a lot. Superb act! Ditto for Ayesha Raza Mishra. Angad Bedi is very good. Vineet Kumar acts with all the conviction at his command. Manav Vij makes a superb impact. Akash Dhar leaves a mark.

On the whole, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is relevant, amusing, emotional and insightful. A truly inspiring story that will grip you from the first frame till the last. A tender salute to woman's valour! Strongly recommended!