Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007)

Director:

Apoorva Lakhia

Writers:

Apoorva Lakhia (writer)
Suresh Nair (writer)

Release Date:

25 May 2007 (India)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Based on true rumours

Plot:

On a calm summer day in 1991, in the bustling Lokhandwala Complex, five criminals including Maya and Dilip were counting 70 lakhs in flat no...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Police Officer | Summer | SWAT | 1991

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Sanjay Dutt	...	Shamsher Khan
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Ex-Justice Dhingra
Arbaaz Khan	...	Inspector Javed Khan
Sunil Shetty	...	Inspector Kaviraj 'Kavi' Patil
Vivek Oberoi	...	Maya 'Mayabhai' Dolas
Tusshar Kapoor	...	Dilip 'Buvabhai' Buva
Ravi Gossain	...	Aslam Chikna
Rohit Roy	...	Fatim 'Fattoo'
Diya Mirza	...	Mita Mattu
Neha Dhupia	...	Rohini S. Khan
Aarti Chhabria	...	Tarannum 'Tanu'
Shabbir Ahluwalia	...	RC
Amrita Singh	...	Mrs. Dolas
Aditya Lakhia	...	Doubling
Abhishek Bachchan	...	Sub-Inspector Abhishek Mahatre

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA (2007) | India:A

Company:

Balaji Motion Pictures

Trivia:

The chase sequence between 'Sunil Shetty' and 'Arbaaz Khan' through Lokhandwala was a difficult scene to shoot; with the public around. Hidden cameras were used at five places and the two actors ran 200 meters at the real location to can the scene.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the "Ganpat" song, Bombay's new name Mumbai is used, but during 1991, it was still called Bombay. Also, names of current Bollywood actresses Kareena Kapoor, Mallika Sherawat and Bipasha Basu are used who were not generally known during 1991.

Quotes:

Dhingra: [now as the ATS' defense lawyer, in court] I just want to ask one question. One question - that's it. It's a question for this court, for this country: it's not a question of law, it's a question about our homes, our families. You have a family... right now, your wife and child are alone at home and there's a man right outside your door with a gun.
[pause]
Dhingra: Who do you want that man to be?
[the gangsters]
Dhingra: Maya? Buwa? Or
[the police officer]
Dhingra: Khan? That's my question - I don't wat you to give me a long legal judgement - it's an easy enough question, give me the easy answer.

Not as good as expected

The overall movie I feel is good, but could have been a lot lot better, only if the director would have stopped to make an effort to make the movie more entertainer. What I mean by this is some scenes, almost all songs, and Abhishek Bachhan are not only unnecessary, but they also kill the mood.

Let me start with the good points. The movie shows the battle between cops and shooters. The plot is very good, the movie has a good pace. Sometimes you feel cops are right and sometimes you think the underworld gang should survive. It is this part which makes you switch your side, made the movie watchable. Also it has given exactly the same weight to family matters as it is needed.

The next comes the actors Sanjay Dutt and Vivek-Anand Oberoi. The entire story revolves around the characters they have played, viz. ACP Samsher Khan, and Maya Dallas. All care have been taken to make an impression about these two characters. Showing them walking in slow motion, walking around without caring about the bullets being fired around, the punch lines, and the dialogs. Watching these two on screens doing the stuffs in their style is a good experience.

Apart from story line and these two actors, all other things are ordinary. But fortunately they doesn't make the movie bad. Other actors Sunil Shetty, Arbaz Khan, Rohit Roy fits in their characters, and have done good, at least no harm to their characters. Just that I feel that those hi-fi conversation between Arbaaz and Sunil could have been removed. It hurts the characters and purely unnecessary.

Now the bad part. First I will mention Tushhar Kapoor. Though his outfit is changed to suit as an "don't care" shooter, his acting is very pathetic. One can clearly tell that he is trying hard to get into character, but he can not. Also his character Buwa also misbehaves differently in movie. In the beginning it feels that he is a serious thinker, and not of type "just do it". But later in the movie he is shown just shooting the people unnecessary, laughing at unnecessary points, and making unnecessary comments. I feel that if this character could have been portrait better, it would have done a lot better for the movie. Watching Tushhar Kapoor on screen is just a terrible punishment.

The songs as mentioned by many, is a total useless addition. Though they are good to listen and watch, they harm a lot to the story line. In fact, it is this part, which makes the movie unrealistic. The songs are to be blamed major for not having this movie in the quality of Vaastav or Satya. I will just say that, if you haven't watched the movie, go and watch it. But just don't put much expectations. This is based on true rumors, and exactly has got nothing to do with reality.