Review: Shoot on Sight

Several sub-plots clutter up the screenplay. Visually, the enterprise is a cut above the commonplace, thanks to the authentic locations and Madhu Ambat’s cinematography, writes Khalid Mohamed.

Shoot on Sight
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Mikaal Zulfikar
Direction: Jag Mundhra
Rating: **

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Truly does this question have to be addressed at all: “All Muslims may not be terrorists but are all terrorists Muslims?”

Then there’s, “Are you a police officer who’s a Muslim? Or a Muslim who’s a police officer?”

This amounts to pure rhetoric. In fact, you suspect that Jag Mundhra isn’t even aware of this as he sets out to make an issue-oriented thriller about Operation Kratos launched by the London police in the wake of the July 7, 2007 tube station bombings. So is this Shoot on Sight? Or is Sight on Shoot?

Obviously alluding to the killing of an innocent Brazilian, Mundhra kicks off with the slaying of a Muslim student at Charing Cross Road station. Muslim officer (Naseeruddin Shah) must head the inquiry into the incident. And hellzapoppin’. His nephew (Zulfikar) shows up from Lahore to live with him and aunt Greta Scacchi. Hollywood’s Devil’s Own (or Mission Kashmir) coming up again?

Several sub-plots clutter up the screenplay (like Gulshan Grover’s flashback to happier days). Visually, the enterprise is a cut above the commonplace, thanks to the authentic locations and Madhu Ambat’s cinematography.

Of the performances, Naseeruddin Shah is excellent. The others just about pass muster like this Sight on Shoot. Or is it Shoot on Sight?