Summer 2007 Hindi Movie
Sikhander Kher's debut Woodstock Villa bit the dust. He's back with Summer 2007. Sikhander's co-star in the movie is Gul Panag, Arjan Bajwa, Alekh Sangal, Uvika, Ashutosh Rana, Sachin Khedekar, Shweta Menon, Prashant Narayanan and Vikram Gokhale.
Five medical students from a capitation fee college in India, represent the youth hooked onto xbox's and formula 1 racing. That is the only India they have inherited and that is the only India they know. Till one day, a game they play goes too far. As an outcome they land up in one of the most deprived villages in Maharashtra.
Their rural posting turns into a soul searching journey where they are forced to confront their own apathy, their own fears and their strange complicity in the circumstances of the village. Before they can run from there, they get sucked into the whirlpool of counter currents. Each of the five undergo different kinds of catharsis and in the end have to make a choice. Do they leave the mess just as they had found it and get away from there...or do they choose to get involved?
There are quite a few flaws in the Summer 2007 script but the movie hits you hard. Its a powerful theme, well directed by Suhail Tatari. Personally, i found the movie a bit too long (more than 2 hours 45 mins), the writing could have been a lot tighter. Also there are a few genuine flaws in the story that cannot be overlooked. In the first half the director gets you totally involved into the movie, but things start to fall apart in the second. The latter half could have been a lot better and shorter, also the movie should have had a better climax.
Sikhander Kher's performance is decent, although he has a long way to go. Gul Panag is very under-rated in bollywood. Arjan Bajwa is good, Alekh is brilliant. Sachin Khedekar does well. Ashutosh Rana manages to impress yet again. The rest of the cast is good.
Overall, Summer 2007 is definitely worth a watch in theatre. The movie has a Rang De Basanti kinda theme and feel. The runtime will prove to be a major set back for the movie. A lot will depend on strong word out mouth for the movie to do well at the ticket window.
Worth a watch.
