There is something about Bollywood making a good war film that goes beyond chest-thumping jingoism and the film not working at the box office. Two of my favourite war movies are Chetan Anand’s 1964 film Haqeeqat and Farhan Akhtar’s 2004 film Lakshya. Haqeeqat was set against the backdrop of the Indo-China war of 1962, but it imbibed a more anti-war sentiment. Lakshya went in a different direction; it was also about a real-life war, but the war became an excuse to narrate an enjoyable, engaging, and well-executed coming-of-age drama that remains, in this writer’s humble opinion, Hrithik Roshan’s best film to date. Lakshya Clocks 20 Years! Hrithik Roshan’s War Film to Re-Release in Theatres on June 21, 2024 (Watch Video).

When Lakshya was released in theatres on June 18, 2004, it came with much hype and hoopla. It was Farhan Akhtar’s second film as a director after the path-breaking, era-defining Dil Chahta Hai. Hrithik Roshan was still enjoying the heartthrob fame from Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai. The songs by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy were decent hits.

However, the box office told a different story – the film utterly underperformed. Perhaps people weren’t interested in watching a war movie that didn’t feature Sunny Deol bombarding Pakistani tanks. Now, on its 20th anniversary, Lakshya is being re-released in theatres on June 21, and we hope patrons will throng to watch the film on the big screen and give it the love it deserves.

Why Did Lakshya Fail in The First Place?

I believe that at that time, audiences didn’t have much patience for a war film. Even though the genre is getting hype these days, war films in Bollywood have rarely proved successful for producers. The only notable hits were JP Dutta’s 1997 blockbuster Border and Aditya Dhar’s propagandistic 2019 film Uri: The Surgical Strike. Lakshya came a year after JP Dutta’s follow-up to Border – LOC: Kargil – dropped in theatres.

Watch the Trailer of Lakshya:

Both films were based on the 1999 Kargil War. Despite casting half of Bollywood, LOC: Kargil failed at the box office, and so did Lakshya a year later. It felt as if the audiences were done with war movies.

Lakshya – A Coming of Age Drama Wrapped Within a War Film

Here’s where things were perceived wrong. For Lakshya was not a war movie, even though it was based on a real-life war. Like Dil Chahta Hai before it, Lakshya displayed another facet of youth in the country – the aimless ones who develop a sense of purpose when life requires them to. In the case of Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan), it wasn’t about getting back his ex Romila Dutta (Preity Zinta), who represents those with clear ambitions, or earning his father’s (Boman Irani) respect.

It was about proving to himself to be capable to them that he could overcome insurmountable odds to achieve victory. For Karan, that objective metamorphoses into a seemingly unattainable peak captured by Pak soldiers that he needs to re-capture and plant the Indian flag there. The rest fell into the right places, be it getting his love back or earning his father’s respect.

Lakshya is a coming-of-age film camouflaged as a war movie. It is not about the Kargil War but about how the war becomes a catalyst in giving purpose to a once-irresponsible youngster and him making good use of it. This is why the jingoism is restrained, and we don’t have monologues about patriotism – essential traits for a Bollywood war movie. And that makes Lakshya all the more effective! Has anyone on LinkedIn made a post on five corporate lessons to be learnt from Lakshya?

And Yet Works Well As a War Film

That doesn’t mean Lakshya stays away from the frills of a war movie. It is still a sneaky war-recruitment propaganda film, but thanks to Javed Akhtar’s nuanced screenplay, we tend to overlook its pro-war stance (an example of which is when a grieving soldier slams a journalist for talking about peace).

When Karan kills his first enemy, he doesn’t see it as a heroic moment; rather, he is taken aback by what he has done. It toughens him for the path ahead, and in the final sequence, he becomes the leader we never thought he could be. The war sequences are well-choreographed, and the cinematography by Christopher Popp is excellent. Lakshya appeals to our emotions when the stakes go against the Indian side, resulting in several casualties. None of the slain characters may have a backstory as developed as the protagonist, yet their demise still manages to affect us. They may not be based on real-life heroes, but they represent the spirit and valour of Indian soldiers.

So when Amitabh Bachchan’s Colonel Sunil Damle fist bumps the air on seeing the Indian flag atop the seemingly unattainable Point 5179, we want to join him in that celebration.

But if there is one scene that keeps Lakshya in the hearts of avid Bollywood buffs, it’s the terrific summit climbing scene near the climax. It is a minutes-long sequence of pure adrenaline rush, made even more effective by Hrithik’s commitment, terrific background score, tight editing, and wonderful cinematography. Fighter Box Office Hit or Flop: 5 Reasons Why Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone’s Film is Failing in Theatres in India!

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s Underrated Album

S-E-L’s score is also one of their best, balancing heartfelt patriotism, sentimentality, and inspiration. They even gave Bollywood one of the best songs about soldiers, covering a gamut of emotions – from singing about their enthusiasm in facing the enemy to giving an ode to their fallen comrades to reminiscing about their loved ones back home.

My personal favourite, though, is “Kitni Baatein” – a song where two former lovers reconnect through old memories as the world around them is torn apart by enemy bombing. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics are pure bliss.

Like the protagonist, Farhan Akhtar’s success with the film may not be in its box office performance. It lies in how Lakshya gets better with every watch and stands the test of time, unlike some other Bollywood war movies.

So, while Border remains the most-watched war movie in Bollywood and Uri: The Surgical Strike the most profitable, Lakshya remains the best war movie – that too without being one.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 18, 2024 06:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).