Pippa Movie Review: Ishaan Khatter and Mrunal Thakur's Film On the 1971 Indo-Pak War Is Sincere Yet Distant (LatestLY EXCLUSIVE)

Pippa Movie Review: At a time when war is a brutal reality with innocent lives being snuffed out as we speak, it gets a bit disturbing to watch content on the same. Although Pippa takes a trip in the past to bring forth the true events of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, there's an eerie feeling that something similar is happening in another part of the world. It is a sincere attempt but it does seem a bit distant, emotionally. Pippa: Makers Slam Reports on Ishaan Khatter Starrer Releasing on OTT Platform; Promises To Share Official Announcement on the Film’s Release Date Soon (Read Statement).

Captain Balram Singh Mehta (Ishaan Khatter) is a young, earnest, intelligent and slightly brattish soldier in the 45 Cavalry. His passionate resolve to 'stress test' Pippa, an amphibious PT-76 Tank used in the Indo-Pak 1971 war, without heeding his senior's orders earns him disciplinary action. This leads to him getting sent to Delhi to do paperwork while his brother Major Ram Singh Mehta (Priyanshu Painyuli) is called on to join the war. Meanwhile, their sister Radha's (Mrunal Thakur) excellent cryptography skills land her a berth in the intelligence cell of India. While the three heroes fight for their country and also for Bangladesh, their internal dispute gets tricky.

One thing that Pippa deserves to be applauded for is perhaps, in the recent past, this is the only movie that showed consequences for errant action. While Shershaah is a great film about Captain Vikram Batra's martyrdom, it has several instances of the soldier's complete disrespect for orders. Here, Balram gets pulled up for this. This perhaps is the biggest win for a film on the Indian military. An organisation that puts so much emphasis on rules and discipline, can't just do nothing about such recklessness.

Pippa gets straight to the point without meandering. It begins with a backstory on the brutalities committed by Pakistan on the East Pakistanis. There are no Urdu-spouting needless Pakistanis using provocative language just to create drama. The Dacca University massacre has been neatly shot with just the right amount of viciousness to set the context for the film. While it takes a look at Mehtas' lives, it is limited - at times a little too limited. Minimalism wins tremendously in this movie.

But there are a few sore points here. Border may be a poor reference point but despite being disturbingly jingoistic and filled with OTT sloganeering, we felt every death. Here, the loss is hardly felt. When Balram's 'Chiefy' is martyred, you don't feel the pang. That distances the audience from the proceedings.

Also, filmmakers don't focus on key relationship dynamics these days. There's angst between the brothers but there is no explanation on what abetted it. Passing references don't count. If personal conflicts are addressed, it should be done properly or dismissed completely. The half-baked treatment hurts the narrative. Radha's cryptography skills also get no reference point. How did she develop this 'dilchaspi' (interest)? More scenes with Pippa the Tank are needed to actually feel the connection here.

Watch the trailer of Pippa here

Ishaan Khatter did a good job but despite being of the same age as Captain Mehta during the war, he looked a little too young for a powerful role like this. However, his acting skills help him sail through. Painyuli does a great job of being a responsible Major and a slightly burdened head of the family. Mrunal is lovely in the film and so is Soni Razdan. Pippa: Ishaan Khatter and Chandni Bainz Twin in Black for the Film’s Special Screening; See Rumoured Couple’s New Pic.

Final Thoughts

Pippa benefits a lot from the simplistic approach of the director Raja Krishna Menon. Keeping it precise and to the point gets the audience immediately interested in the narrative. But a bit of emotional bonding or depth would have elevated the experience. Pippa is streaming on Amazon Prime.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2023 12:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).