#URITheSurgicalStrike – Cold Surge!!! PK Verdict: Silver ***

Vicky Kaushal has raised the bar so high; that mediocrity doesn’t hold good from any film that has HIM in it. Likewise, bar of expectations was high from URI and it turns out to be an average affair; cold surge. The film has the right texture and Aditya Dhar’s direction is also good. It is indeed his writing that flows and is not as crisp as it should have been for the genre. A good editing could have made URI A goose bump experience keeping it high on adrenaline rush. Weakening on emotions does impacts the patriotic thump failing to bring a wow factor.

The film as everybody knows is based on the recent historic Indian Victory as a retaliation for the URI Attack. The production claimed, and it did look like India’s Zero Dark Thirty is here, but everything looks one sided and more than winning over the enemies they were fighting their internal wars. Yami Gautam’s and Kriti Kulhari’s segment is far from belief though they are in the skin of their characters; yet they fail to impact. Paresh Rawal plays Ajit Doval the National Security Advisor and is believable, but the graph of this character is also weak. Rajit Kapoor plays Narendra Modi and looks far better than the poster released yesterday that showcases the Vivek Oberoi Caricatured Prime Minister.
Mohit Raina gets the great debut but too low on-screen presence; creating the path for Vicky Kaushal to perform.

Yasser Desai’s “Beh Chala” song has good timing and takes the story ahead and layers the moment in the right emotion. “Main Lad Jaana” The Uri anthem fails to bring in that impact on big screen.

Vicky Kaushal delivers yet another performance that is not well written. His presence and the historic facts make URI a watchable affair. Film fails to deliver the patriotic thump you would expect from this kind of production. Yet, the attempt is great and not an absolute disappointment.

PK Verdict: Silver***