Bunker

Sure, writer-director Jugal Raja’s ‘Bunker’ is an ode to the Indian Armed Forces and the countless sacrifices and life-threatening risks they undertake to ensure that we – the citizens – and our national borders are safe and well-guarded.

But, if you take that sentiment away and focus on the cinematic aspect of it, then this war drama is riddled with contradictions – first, it claims to bring to forefront the futility of war and yet, the whole plot is based on one such incident and we never get to discussing the repercussions of ‘existing’ in a war-torn region. Secondly, it aims to highlight the mental health conditions of soldiers, who, by and large, live in hostile environments. This noble thought would have made for an interesting watch as it is a relevant issue – like the Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD) – but it is not explored beyond fleeting moments of grief. Lastly, this movie promises to capture the emotional turmoil that the families of these bravehearts’ experience upon losing their loved ones or even the pangs of separation one encounters during months of deployment. The depiction of these emotions feel forced on screen.

The protagonist could not do justice to the intensity of the role and the magnitude of the situation that the character was in. The female lead, too, is not an able support to the already weak cast. As a whole, the theatrics department disappoints, and so does the background score.

However, one of the culminations of ‘Bunker’ is the melancholic song by Rekha Bharadwaj – titled ‘Lautke Ghar Jaana Hai’ – which tugs at your heartstrings.

This war drama is one of those stories that has its heart in the right place, but fails to keep the promises it makes.