URI is patriotism at its best. It is a wartime cinema, a masterpiece rather, just like Border. It strikes the perfect chords of patriotism as it depicts the operation which was actually, conducted for URI. In URI-The Surgical Strike, the central character is a para-commando in Special Forces Major Vihaan Singh Shergill played by Vicky Kaushal, who seems to have just got his retirement from the frontline and has taken up a desk job. He seems to have lost his sense of purpose as he knows nothing but to engage in intense combat to uphold the supremacy and integrity of his nation. While doing his new desk job he seems to be pretty confused, lost, and unable to make the right choices. He seems to be very much out of place as he fits and belongs to the war zone. He is simply not made for his present job. He, however, swings back into real action after a terrorist strike that kills his family member. This time, revenge is the key trigger.

The Central Plot

The film concentrates on the 2016 surgical strikes performed by the valiant Indian Army, against the major militant bases based in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Around 35-50 terrorists seemed to have lost their lives in this secret operation that was a well-planned retaliation to Pakistan’s terrorist attacks that took place in URI claiming the lives of nineteen Indian soldiers. However, Pakistan has officially denied such an incident. Film director Aditya Dhar weaves a compelling narrative around the events of the surgical strikes, from the focal point of Vicky Kaushal’s character, Major Vihaan Singh Shergill.

Critical Appreciation

The first hour seems somewhat a slog. However, the action-packed opening helps to establish the skill and leadership qualities of Major Vihaan Shergill. The storyline would have been more tight and compact if the filmmakers had focused just on the hero’s life as a commando and not his activities beyond his uniform. Let’s get this out of our systems; Vicky Kaushal’s career is on a roll. As per Bollywood movie reviews, his last appearance was as a Pakistani army officer in Raazi with Alia Bhatt, but he has no trouble whatsoever playing an Indian Special Forces Commando in Uri. His genuine acting and screen presence adds a dimension of depth to an otherwise, straightforward movie that lacks the edge-of-your-seat tension that people associate with good war dramas.

Unfortunately, no other character in this plot has been allowed decent screen time apart from the protagonist Major Vihaan Singh Shergill. The characters have not been developed adequately, however, Yami Gautam does justice to her role as an intelligence officer.

The film really scores more on the technical aspect than the creative. All the combat sequences, gunfire, ambush, sniper shots, and fistfights are realistically shot. Moreover, the sounds of bullets and weapons are captured really well.

Conclusion

URI- the Surgical Strike, is a hard movie to judge because the execution is hardly impressive, but the subject matter it references and recreates with some artistic liberties is a work of art. To see a complex military operation drift off the news channels and onto the big screen is awe-inspiring and demands newfound respect for the armed forces.