Mimtaz
Major– starring Adivi Sesh in the lead – is an emotional and befitting homage to the bravery of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and his sacrifice in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Read Full Major Movie Review:
Director: Sashi Kiran Tikka
Cast: Adivi Sesh, Saiee Manjrekar, Prakash Raj, Revathi, Sobhita Dhuliapala and Murali Sharma
Runtime: 2 hours 28 mins
Rating: 3.5/5
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was just 31 years old when he died fighting terrorists at the Taj Hotel in 2008. He went on to receive the Ashok Chakra posthumously for his bravery in 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai.
Storyline:
The movie follows the story of Sandeep Unnikrishnan (played by Adivi Sesh) who is fascinated with the ‘uniform’ dreams of becoming a Navy officer as a child. Without his parents‘ (played by Prakash Raj & Revathi) knowledge, Sandeep applies to Navy but fails in the medical test due to eyesight problem. However, he later ends up joining the National Defence Academy (NDA).
Isha (played by Saiee Manjrekar) is Sandeep’s childhood sweetheart. Sandeep and Isha gets married but soon after, Sandeep’s professional commitments take a toll on his marital life as he is unable to give time to his wife. Despite the problems on his personal life, Sandeep’s only aim is to serve the nation diligently.
However, he soon faces the biggest and horrifying challenge of his life – 26/11 terrorist attack at Taj Hotel in Mumbai.
Sobhita Dhulipala plays one of the hostages, Pramoda Reddy – a businesswoman who checks into the Taj Hotel on the day of the attack. She plays a crucial role in taking the narrative forward.
While the first half majorly focuses on Sandeep’s role as a son and boyfriend, the post-interval scenes shows the transition of a young man into a kind-hearted brave soldier.
What Do We Think?
“What does it mean to be a soldier?” Well… this question was raised time and again in the Adivi Sesh-starrer. This biographical action-drama offers much more than Major Sandeep Unnikrishnann’s sacrifice, bravery and valour. Major also focuses on his life, his journey, his colourful moments in his both personal and professional life.
Adivi Sesh as Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan steals the show. The actor did justice at bringing Sandeep back in life on silver screens. Adivi Sesh’s charm, good looks, smile, and his flirting vibes during the school days wala scenes MAJOR-ly holds the show. Well, well, well… He looks DAMN HANDSOME in the uniform.
Prakash Raj & Revathi slip into the roles of Sandeep’s grieving parents with conviction. They are vulnerable, strong and dependable. Saiee’s character is well-sketched, however, her performance is not up to the mark.
The 2nd half of the movie, which is mostly about the siege, will keep you on the edge of your seat. The sharp screenplay constantly keeps you hooked into the screen… Thanks to Adivi Sesh as he has also co-written the movie.
While some of the one-liners are hard-hitting, some of the dialogues will surely make you emotional. Prakash Ji’s speech at the end will make you tear up a bit. Barring the background score, the songs do not leave a long-lasting impact.
Hit Or Miss?
We would call this movie nothing less than a HIT! There is romance, actions, emotions, drama… Major also has flaws, but it wouldn’t bother you that much. It’s worth watching.
As Prakash Ji’s character rightfully said at the end, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan should be remembered not for the way he died, but for the way he lived.
