Picket 43 : A Movie Review

                      Imagine an ordinary soldier of Indian Army, alone in a small hut by a wire fence. To add more elements to your imagination: that fence is the Line of Control (LoC) that separates the snow-clad Himalayas into India and Pakistan; that part (or 'picket') of LoC is generally lightly guarded by one soldier each from  the two countries, defending their side; that part is called 'Picket 43', by the Indian side; that also happens to be a part where ceasefire violations are looming as a deadly threat over any soldier's fate, who is living a hermit's life there, removed from human company and comforts; Now, this soldier who is defending the Indian territory: he is lives in the Indian hut at the picket 43 with a lone army dog and a transistor radio as companions, waiting with mounting frustrations, for letters from home that might arrive with weekly rations ; he is a south Indian, unmarried, has a ailing mother back at home in Kerala, and he is percieved as weak-willed by his immediate senior officer.  And he is posted to this picket after his predecessor was killed and beheaded by militants while guarding the same picket. That is the setting of this beautifully scripted movie Picket 43. If you think that with such a setting, it has to be a gruesome action drama, you can only be less than half right.

An unlikely friendship springing between Hari, Havildar Harindran of Indian army and Musharaf, Musharaf Khan of Pakistan army, at picket 43 is the heart and soul of the movie. The movie provides a luminous experience:  The scenic beauty of two starkly different facets of Kashmir, the lush green valley of spring time and the serene white stretches of gentle slopes of winter; the harmonious background music; the songs set in the tunes you won't forget for long; the dialogues crafted well in a smart blend of languages: Malayalam, Hindi and English; The easy going, no-nonsense Pakistani soldier Musharaf with his loud, good-natured manner and affable accent; the gentle, nervous Indian soldier Hari, trying to appear brave in front of his new 'foe' and failing funnily at it, with which begins the heart- warming tale of their friendship.

Picker 43 : Before things got bitter cold
Pic. Coutesy: www.nanaonline.in

Movie name: Picket 43

Languages: Malayalam and Hindi with English subtitles

Director: Major Ravi

Writer: Major Ravi

Stars: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Javed Jaffrey, Renji Panicker | See full cast and crew »

Is this a movie only for malayalees?

Not at all. This is a movie for all movie lovers who are after a wholesome movie-experience. Conversations between Hari and Musharaf, with many a heartening moments, all occur in Hindi, each with his unique accent. For the remaining parts, the subtitles in English seem more than enough. 

Is it a typical Major Ravi army movie?

Nope. For a change, this movie is not overly sentimental, the protagonist is not overly heroic, and when you watch the movie, you'll see yourself drifting away from your preconceptions about many themes, like: the army, Pakistan and the LoC, getting more curious about each.

Does it accurately represent the 'real' thing?

I dunno. Each account of an event is unique. A movie that can inspire in you a thirst to know the real thing is as accurate as the real thing until you know better. 

Is it perfect?

Oh, no. The film team that worked in a masterly manner in the Himalayan scenes, has failed to maintain the standard when it comes to scenes set in Hari's native place. There, the under-developed characterisations might make you cringe inwardly. Thankfully, those scenes are too few.

What about the songs?

Though I can hardly understand the lyrics, I say they are beautiful. " Mari mazha manju poyi.." sung by Vijay Yesudas is my favourite.

What do I love most about Picket 43?

Javed Jaffrey - As Musharaf. As a sensible person; a loving husband; a father in Taliban affected Pakistan village, pained at his inability to fulfil his daughter's wish to go to school; a patriotic soldier; and, a great friend. Thanks to him and the chemistry between him and Prithviraj, the movie has in it for you, both smiles and tears.

Bacardi - The army dog who fears running water. 

Musharaf's predecessor who goes on leave - That guy was amazingly funny, firing at Indian bunker day and night! Nope, seriously it was not so funny for poor Hari.

Prithviraj Sukumaran - I didn't mention him before because I took his brilliance in the movie for granted. Yes. Without his wonderful portrayal of Havildar Harindran the movie wouldn't have been half as good.

Major Ravi - Who dared to better himself.

The Picket 43 team - For all the visible and invisible work involved in the production of Picket 43. For giving us this wonderful movie.
The beautiful Kashmir-. Of course.

What I learnt from watching it?

• Soldiers do not always live in packs, loitering around and having fun until war strikes.
• Soldiers are not always pampered. Sometimes they need to live in huts, with limited rations, cooking their own food, washing their own clothes. ( Not that I believed otherwise, but I hadn't give it much thought before.)
• Ordinary Pakistanis fire a gun pretty often. And that's usually to celebrate or to mourn, not to kill or wound. 
• When it is snowing, your dog too would get cold. So, you should have some coat/ sweaters for your dog, too, in your travel bag. 

     

Verdict?

All in all, a 'world-class' movie experience  

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