By:
Taran
Adarsh,
IndiaFM
Friday,
August
31,
2007
Powerful.
Thought-provoking.
Disturbing.
That
sums
up
Dhoka,
directed
by
Pooja
Bhatt.
After
attempting
Paap
and
Holiday,
Pooja
charters
into
a
new
--
and
most
difficult
--
terrain
with
Dhoka.
With
terrorism
raising
its
ugly
head
in
Hyderabad
recently,
a
film
like
Dhoka
is
all
the
more
topical.
In
this
case,
the
suicide
bomber
is
the
cop's
wife.
Whew,
piping
hot
stuff
indeed!
What
sets
Dhoka
apart
from
films
of
its
ilk
is
that
the
film
never
takes
sides.
It
doesn't
blame
any
particular
community,
in
fact
it's
not
pro
or
anti
any
religion.
It
blames
the
people
who
spread
terror
in
the
name
of
religion.
Also,
it
denounces
terrorism
in
very
clear
words.
Dhoka
hits
where
it
hurts.
You
want
to
know
the
reason
why
people
turn
into
jehadis.
Dhoka
probes
into
the
issue
and
provides
the
answers.
To
sum
up,
Dhoka
is
one
of
the
finest
and
powerful
films
to
come
out
of
the
Bhatt
camp.
This
one
dares
to
unruffle
a
few
feathers!
Zaid
[Muzamil
Ibrahim]
is
a
Muslim
police
officer
in
Mumbai.
On
the
night
of
a
deadly
bombing
at
the
New
Century
Club,
he
works
tirelessly
to
help
the
shocked
and
shattered
patients
brought
to
the
hospital.
But
this
night
of
turmoil
and
death
takes
a
horrifying
personal
turn.
His
wife's
body,
the
beautiful
Sara
[Tulip
Joshi],
is
found
amongst
the
dead.
Things
turn
even
more
horrific
when
the
police
coldly
announce
that
Sara's
injuries
were
typical
of
those
found
on
fundamentalist
suicide
bombers.
As
evidence
mounts
that
his
wife,
Sara,
was
responsible
for
the
catastrophic
bombing,
Zaid
is
torn
between
cherished
memories
of
their
years
together
and
the
inescapable
realization
that
the
beautiful
woman
he
loved
had
a
life
far
removed
from
their
comfortable
existence
together.
Dhoka
is
two
creative
minds
at
their
best
--
director
Pooja
Bhatt
and
writer
Shagufta
Rafique.
Sure,
a
film
like
this
is
not
everyone's
idea
of
entertainment,
but
let's
get
real.
Cinema
isn't
only
entertainment,
but
enlightenment.
With
terrorism
raising
its
ugly
head
time
and
again,
in
Mumbai,
Delhi,
Hyderabad,
New
York
and
London,
you
cannot
shut
your
eyes
to
all
that's
happening
around
us.
Dhoka
tells
the
story
well.
The
director
and
her
competent
writer
open
the
cards
at
the
very
outset,
within
10
minutes
of
the
start.
But
it's
the
second
hour
that's
a
complete
eye-opener.
The
ugly
past,
narrated
by
Anupam
Kher,
shakes
you
completely.
Brilliantly
penned
and
executed,
you're
stunned
by
the
atrocities
committed
by
the
men
in
uniform.
The
writing
wobbles
at
times.
Take
the
end,
for
instance.
Ashutosh
Rana
getting
caught
for
his
misdeeds
looks
too
sudden.
Prior
to
that,
the
confrontation
between
Munish
Makhija
and
Muzamil,
although
interesting,
is
long-drawn
and
tends
to
get
preachy.
However,
the
climax
at
a
Mumbai
Railway
Station
--
the
culmination
to
the
horrific
tale
--
is
spell-binding.
Dhoka
is
Pooja's
third
and
also
her
finest
work
so
far.
She
has
handled
the
disturbing
issue
with
utmost
maturity.
Shagufta
Rafique's
writing
packs
a
solid
punch.
Music
[M.M.
Kreem]
is
soothing
and
the
best
part
is,
it's
smartly
woven
in
the
narrative.
Anshuman
Mahaley's
cinematography
is
topnotch.
Muzamil
Ibrahim
is
a
discovery
to
watch.
Sure,
there're
rough
edges
[at
times]
that
he
needs
to
work
on,
but
considering
it's
his
debut
film,
he
pitches
in
an
incredible
performance.
A
real
surprise,
a
pleasant
surprise!
Tulip
Joshi
looks
gorgeous
and
although
she
hardly
has
any
lines
to
deliver,
she
makes
it
up
with
the
right
expressions.
Anupam
Kher
is
first-rate.
Only
a
veteran
with
a
terrific
range
could've
essayed
the
part
with
such
understanding.
Gulshan
Grover
is
perfect.
He
looks
the
character.
Ashutosh
Rana
is
menacing;
very
effective.
The
actor
enacting
the
role
of
Tulip's
brother
is
good.
Bhanu
Uday
is
admirable.
Aushima
Sawhney
does
a
fine
job.
Anupam
Shyam
is
alright.
Munish
Makhija
is
competent.
On
the
whole,
Dhoka
is
a
well-made
film.
At
the
box-office,
it's
for
multiplexes
of
big
centres
mainly.