Aamir is a tantalising story of a young man who gets trapped in an intriguing web of crime. Rajeev Khandelwal makes his big screen debut after enjoying huge popularity on television with soaps like Kahiin to Hoga and Left Right Left.
Aamir Ali (Rajeev Khandelwal) returns to Mumbai from London and is rather unwelcomed by the immigration officer. His polite demeanour notwitstanding, the religiously biased officer is bent upon harassing an innocent man because he’s a Muslim. The real drama starts to unfold outside the airport when two suspicious bikers hand him a cell phone and speed off. The gentleman on the phone wants Aamir to follow his directions in exchange for the freedom of his beloved family. The ordeal similar to a treasure hunt leads him to the ghettoes of the city and makes him puke disgustedly at the living conditions. In an attempt to win over his emotions, the voice mentions the purported brutality of the majority community over the Muslims in India and across, how the Muslim brethren globally are financing the jung and how Aamir, who’s name literally means a leader is not caring for his kaum and fighting for them. It’s shown while the man on the phone eats and drinks merrily in his chambers, he ensures that the terrified Aamir is made to run across the city without food, water or any respite. It’s clear that this racket of terrorists is well organized and is dedicated to mislead the Muslim youth into forcing them to commit serious crime.
The only emotion that I felt was one of distraught looking at what the young man was being subjected to in Mumbai. Don’t worry if there’s a palpable lump in your throat as that’s always the case with this movie. Aamir has shades of Nick of Time (Johnny Depp, Christopher Walken) and Phone Booth (Katie Holmes, Colin Farrell), both exploited themes of subjugation through coercive actions. However, the director Raj Kumar Gupta makes the script tighter and does not allow a moment of dullness creep into our minds. Though after having undergone such trauma for the hero I would have changed the slightly predictable end. On the part of Rajeev who has is more known for his lover boy image, he’s able to deliver a serious and mature performance that very few would have chosen for their debut film. I won’t be surprised if he wins a few awards for Aamir which was nothing short of magnificient. Alongside the performances, it presents a completely creepy view of the landscape of Mumbai (remember Dharavi and the slums) reminiscent of such movies like Chakra (1981) and Satya (1998) and just like them, Aamir is sure to leave you spellbound.
