Red Alert: Movie Review

Maoists have shifted their base in the dense jungles of Arunachal Pradesh. Sound creepy! No, Maoists are not active in Arunachal Pradesh. This is what Narashimha, a farmer-turned-Naxal has to say about the location of the film, Red Alert-A War Within

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Fri, Jul 09, 2010 14:17:06 IST

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Bollywood Movie Reviews :

Dreaded Maoists have shifted their base in the dense jungles of Arunachal Pradesh. Sound creepy! No, Maoists are not active in Arunachal Pradesh. This is what Narashimha, a poor farmer-turned-Naxal has to say about the location of the film Red Alert - The War Within.

Red Alert – The War Within, a film based on the Naxalite violence, has been shot in the extensive jungles of Arunachal Pradesh for a grueling 70 days under worst climatic conditions. Protagonist Suniel Shetty, who played the role of Narashimha, a farmer who found himself entangled in the Maoist movement due to poverty says the film was shot in the interiors of the jungle of Arunachal Pradesh where there are thorns everywhere.

After Koyla, this is the second film to be shot in Arunachal Pradesh in recent time.

Directed by Ananth Mahadevan, Red Alert, releasing today, has a lot to offer apart from highlighting today’s headlines – the Maoist violence in India. The movie shows women fighting hand in hand with men. The female casts include Sameera Reddy, Bhagyashree, Seema Biswas and Ayesha Dharker.

Red Alert boasts of having original dialogues of the Maoists which is perhaps the first time in the history of Indian cinema. The dialogues are reportedly actually spoken by the Maoists. Actor Mithun Chakraborty was reportedly offered a role in the film but he refused to be a part of the film as he felt that the original Maoist dialogues used in the film would make the viewers sympathise with the rebels and therefore make it an anti-establishment movie.

However, Director Mahadevan has a different take on his film. He says that the movie is based on absolutely unbiased reports and both the government and the Maoists have to take the criticism and responsibility for what is happening. Seema Biswas, who plays the role of Saralakka, agrees with the director and says the movie does not take any sides.

The movie offers some solution to the Naxalite problem. It a must see movie for P Chidambaram and his team. R. R. Patil, Home Minister of Maharashtra has apparently recommended the film to P Chidambaram and other important ministers after watching it.

The movie is boosted by the presence of seasoned stars like Naseeruddin Shah, Vinod Khanna, Gulshan Grover and Ashish Vidyarthi.

Red Alert - The War Within has earned praises in international film festivals including the Stuttgart Film Festival where it won the Director’s Vision award, the South Asian International Film Festival where Suniel given the best actor award. The film was also screened at the Goa International Film Festival and Berlin film festival.

It remains to be seen how the romantic and masala story starved-Indian cine goers view the Red Alert. Hope the film does not repeat Koyla.

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