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Join UsStar Cast: Pratik Gandhi, Sai Tamhankar, Saiyami Kher, Divyenndu, Udit Arora, Jitendra Joshi
Director: Rahul Dholakia
What’s Good: Fresh and hitherto unexplored terrain for Hindi cinema
What’s Bad: Nothing really!
Loo Break: Of course not!
Watch or Not?: Hot enough to watch!
Language: Hindi
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 123 Minutes
User Rating:
A firefighter says that the word “Pagal” must be remembered by all. Not to describe “mad,” its literal meaning, but as “Pa for Paani, Ga for Gas, and L for Light.” These are the three-point checks everyone must do before leaving their premises so that when all three are shut, there is minimal risk of fire.
Agni (Fire) must have been a difficult film to conceive and write because, like any feature film, a story must be woven to highlight the fact that, like our army, police, and all levels of security forces, a firefighter, however much in the background, is as much a soldier in protecting us from danger. He, too, risks his life but gets very little recognition, rewards, or fame. His family, too, suffers if he perishes on the job, which is not only about burn injuries but also suffocation and other risks that he selflessly faces on the job.
Agni Movie Review: Script Analysis
The story revolves around a dedicated firefighter, Vithal Surve (Pratik Gandhi), whose family, comprising wife Rukmini (Sai Tamhankar) and son Amar (Kabir Shah), lives contentedly but sans luxuries in their quarters. Rukmini and Amar are always impressed by the comparative luxurious life of her brother, Samit Sawant (Divyenndu), and his wife (Sakhi Gokhale).
Samit is an ace and very cocky cop, and Vithal believes that his means of income are not all above-board. Amar considers his father a ‘zero’ and hero-worships mama Samit and all these factors generate friction and open hostility between Vithal and Samit.
The storyline, however, also focuses on a chain of firefighting missions that Vithal and his team get involved in on a seemingly daily basis. At any moment, even in the middle of an engagement party, these soldiers have to rush to extinguish an angaar (fire), and, as always, uncertainty looms about their lives and health.
However, a film with this concept and intention needs a proper plotline. And so we get a story wherein two tracks run parallel: the one-upmanship of sorts between firefighters and cops and also the tale of a man who, unhinged by a fire tragedy in which his family was killed, has turned into a deranged arsonist while coming across as a normal person and a caring friend. This provides the plot’s thrill element and deduction factor as Samit is convinced that all the recent fires are “natural” (as in caused by usual carelessness!). At the same time, Vithal and his colleague Avni (Saiyami Kher) have valid reasons to be suspicious.
The story carefully balances everything, including a love story between the only female firefighter, Anvi, and Jass (Udit Arora), and how things pan out between Vithal and his son and brother-in-law. There is a rare and lesser-known spotlight on the lives of firefighters, the simple joys they enjoy, and the bonhomie they share at work, even with their superiors. Their fitness regime is also examined.
The ubiquitous political angle also comes in, but this time, the neta (Anant Jog) is more desperate for fame than a vicious man who will not stop at anything to get what he wants. The script (Rahul Dholakia with dialogues by Vijay Maurya) does not digress into futile areas like political interference. It works in a climax that looks a shade contrived but fits the story and leads it to a neatly logical and gratifying culmination.
Agni Movie Review: Star Performance
Strangely, in this male-dominated storyline, the performances (as separated from the roles) are led in caliber by Sai Tamhankar as Vitthal’s ever-supportive wife and Saiyami Kher as the ardent, doughty firefighter who has her own take on life and love. Sai shows her high competency and range again after excellent work in various formats, like in the recent Marathi web series Manvat Murders. She not only looks exactly like she is portraying—a lower middle-class simple hausfrau and loving mother- but her expressions take the cake at every turn of events. As for Saiyami, she shines best when shown as an unbroken and dedicated soldier, even in the face of a severe personal loss. And her eyes speak volumes, a cliché but the truth.
Pratik Gandhi portrays yet another nuanced character as the impassioned Vithal, who stoically accepts his limitations, lets his resentment towards his brother-in-law boil over occasionally, and devotedly loves his wife, colleagues—and work. Divyenndu adds to his roster of impeccably assured performances as Samit, who has a condescending attitude towards his fireman brother-in-law until a life-changing incident.
As the earnest fireman Mahadev, Jitendra Joshi steals many a scene effortlessly. Udit Arora makes a mark as Jazz. The supporting cast is excellent, too, led by little Kabir Shah as Amar—here’s a child artiste to reckon with. In a brief role, Sayali Sawant also impresses as Samit’s placatory wife.
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Agni Movie Review: Direction, Music
After the offbeat Parzania (2005), the insipid Lamhaa, and the overtly commercial Raees (2017), Rahul Dholakia spins his most gripping saga yet with this daisy-fresh tale of courage, love, sacrifice, and honor. The movie makes the right points and isn’t one with monotonous despite a seemingly dry base.
The sequences that stand out include the deaths of two firemen, Vithal’s health issues, the housewarming party sequence, and the lunchtime repartees of the firemen, in addition to those depicting Samit’s combination of wit and menace. A few sequences between Vitthal and his son, who admires maternal uncle Samit but thinks his father is no great shakes, also stand out and form, in a way, the most telling take to show the common perception of firefighters as people not to be really noticed, let alone respected or admired.
The music is serviceable but so unimportant for the makers that it is not even listed online, and there is no information on who composed the admirably restrained background score!
Agni Movie Review: The Last Word
The film is worthwhile at every level. An OTT release is probably the best option for this modest delight. Excel Entertainment always offers us a variety but does not excel all the time. This time, it certainly does!
Three and a half stars!
Agni Trailer
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