It is these lines and moments which make the characters come to life and make Kabul Express what it is. What should be incredibly applauded is the immense ease with which he intertwines humour into an otherwise tense and serious subject. His experience and knowledge is thorough which is clearly reflected through the narrative.
KABUL EXPRESS MOVIE MOVIE
The real hero of this movie is director Kabir Khan without whom Kabul Express could easily have gone haywire and turned into a big joke. While the first half includes a few light moments and builds up the tension, the second half is where the plot unfolds and concludes with an unimaginable and touching ending. The story encompasses several moments within this turbulent journey and how each of the characters lives are suddenly turned upside down in a dangerous country where nothing is ever certain. As they travel towards the border they encounter many obstacles as well as an American photographer, Jessica Beckham (Linda Arsenio) who ends up travelling with them as well. It is this unusal and unexpected situation which forms the premise of the story. Somewhere along the way in a twist of fate Suhel, Jai and Khyber end up with a Talib named Imran (Salman Shahid) in the back seat of their Jeep, who holds them hostage and forces them to drive towards the Pakistani border. Meanwhile, Talibs are fleeing rapidly to Pakistan to escape the rage of Afghans. Little did they know that in the process they would be putting their lives on the line. Led by their guide Khyber (Hanif Hum Ghum) in his jeep called Kabul Express, Suhel and Jai search for the story of their career. Looking desperately for their big break Suhel and Jai embark on a trip through a recovering Kabul, searching for an interview with the infamous Taliban. Spanning over 1.5 tension-filled and thrilling hours, it tells the tale of Indian journalist Suhel Khan (John Abraham) accompanied by his camera-man Jai Kapoor (Arshad Warsi) on a journey to capture a story that has never been told-a story that could very well cost them their lives. Kabul Express is based upon the personal and real-life experiences of director Kabir Khan in war-torn Kabul, Afghanistan. Although it doesn’t cater to all audiences, Kabul Express will surely find its audience. The only movie to be shot after the Taliban regime, Kabul Express surely deserves all the festival invitations (Toronto, London, Pusan).
With debutant director Kabir Khan at the helm, and an interesting cast comprising of John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Afghani actor Hanif Hum Ghum, Pakistani actor Salman Shahid, and American actress Linda Arsenio, Kabul Express turns out to be daring, thought-provoking, and extremely likeable. The question is, do they score or have they made a fool of themselves? Not only do they score but they emerge trumps! With Kabul Express, Yash Raj Films known for churning out mainstream hit after hit, dares to attempt something different.
When a production house that carries a prestigious repertoire composing of titles like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Bunty aur Babli, and Veer-Zaara, decides to delve into a completely different genre, heads are sure to turn.