However, in this case, my focus is on Subhash Ghai and his latest offering Black and White. Ghai is a director I admire the most. I rank him among the few selected best filmmakers of the world. I watched all his films right from Kalicharan, his directorial debut, to Kisna, a disaster. The list of flops to his credit can be ignored while the successful flicks are remarkable. He has the honour of directing Dilip Kumar in three of his memorable films: Vidhaata, Karma and Saudagar. Besides, it was his rare achievement to bring Raaj Kumar and Dilip Kumar together in Saudagar after Paigham 22 years earlier.

Needless to say, getting the two giants agree to work together was not an ordinary task. But Subhash Ghai never chose an easy path for himself. When the likes of Dilip Kumar, Raaj Kumar, Anil Kapoor and many more were easily available for him he cast a rank new comer Jackie Shroff as the main protagonist for his home production Hero and the film created history at the box-office. After Raj Kapoor, the greatest showman of Bollywood, the crown of showmanship was put on Ghai’s head and he retained the honour with love and care. Barring a few, almost all his films were hits at the cash counter. He is indeed a man of surprise and with each film he directed he took the audiences by surprise.

Black & White is also a surprise packet. A through and through unexpected product from a maker who is known for making commercial flicks and has given us several block-busters, Black & White is based on terrorism, a genre surely not of Subhash Ghai. In this film Ghai wants to say something. He wants to convey a message of love and peace not to Pakistan but ironically to a terrorist organisation of Afghanistan. Technically a brilliant film, but the storyline lacks substance. The basic idea is hard to believe and rather amateurish as well.

The film has several drawbacks. One, why the terrorist organisation sends a suicide bomber to Delhi with a mission to blow up the Red Fort?! Two, what motivates the terrorist group to make the voice of Islam heard by the Indian Government since India is not an enemy country to Afghanistan nor was it a partner of America in its war against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan? Three, Numair Qazi, the suicide bomber, doesn’t appear to be a believable fundamentalist or fanatic Jehadi. His character has been painted like that of a Talibanised Muslim, which is a major flaw in the characterisation of the main protagonist, because the Muslim world by and large had disapproved and rejected the Talibanised version of Islam.

The weakest part of the film is its climax. Numair Qazi abruptly gets transformed and changes his mind not to undertake the mission of exploding himself in the Red Fort. Although the transformation takes place as a result of Shefali Shah’s murder by Numair’s fellow terrorists it is not convincing as he has been depicted as a heartless terrorist, who does not hesitate to bump off even his accomplices when they go against the principles of religion. The funniest thing happens when the bomber manages to run away from the well-guarded parade ground of the Lal Quila after his identity is disclosed. Then, after 30-days he sends an e-mail to the C.B.I. to prove Anil Kapoor’s innocence! An epitome of convenient screenplay! Watching Black-n-White was literally a very disappointing experience. It’s difficult for the Indian masses to identify with an Afghan protagonist. Debutant Anurag Sinha is star material but he will have to face another test. A praiseworthy performance by Anil Kapoor will not be be remembered for long, as the film is a forgettable stuff.

Sukhvinder Singh’s music is pleasant and lyrics by Ibrahim Ashq deserve a mention, especially the Sufi song. Subhash Ghai as a director has not failed. It’s the subject matter that may not work, because terrorism as a subject for a film now is as repeated, as the lost-and-found formula in the '70s. In short, Black-n-White is neither black nor white, nor is there any other colour in it. And this is my personal opinion as a cinegoer. I wish that the film be a success at the box-office.
Meeraq Mirza (Mumbai)