Filmi Review

'A Wednesday,' is a story that happens over a couple of hours one Wednesday in the career of city commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Prakash Rathod (Anupam Kher). On the eve of his retirement, Rathod looks back on his career as he shares this unusual story, a story that was never recorded.

That Wednesday, he received an anonymous call and the caller (Naseeruddin Shah) stated that he had planted several bombs in the city. And if his demands were not met with, he would trigger them off. The caller then demands the release of four militants arrested and in jail.

Initially Rathod wonders if it is a crank call, but a second call from the unknown person, alerts the police to the presence of a bomb placed at the police station right opposite the Police headquarters.

Meanwhile the anonymous caller also tips off a television news reporter, Nayana Roy. She arrives at the police headquarters with her cameraman.

Innumerable lives are now at stake and it is Rathod's responsibility to trace the man behind it. With his two trusted aides, Arif Khan (Jimmy Shergill) and Jai (Aamir Bashir), Rathod jumps into action, while ensuring not to create panic in the minds of the public. A young hacker is called in to trace the address of the caller while the police make arrangements to transport the four militants to the airport as agreed upon. You also get a glimpse of the bureaucratic hurdles that the police often encounter.

Just when you start wondering if it is another militant story, showing the minority community in poor light and indicating the involvement of a foreign country, the story springs a surprise. Who is this unknown caller and what does he want?

'A Wednesday,' questions the injustice done to the common man, when innocents meet their end, following bomb blasts. The story rests on the shoulders of two stalwarts, Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah supported ably by Jimmy Shergill and Aamir Bashir. As the city police commissioner, Anupam lends the role dignity and he has executed it brilliantly.

Naseeruddin Shah steals the show with his character. Jimmy Shergill is every inch the cool guy. Aamir Bashir leaves a mark too. Even the characters of the four militants has been portrayed well, especially Kali Prasad Mukherjee, the main terrorist.

This film sans duets or item numbers, sans heroine, sans vulgarity is an edge of the seat thriller. There is never a dull moment in the film as you wait with bated breath for the next scene to unfold. And of course the climax was a real surprise. There are nice moments especially those scenes between Jai and his wife.

Well made, neat editing, a story that concerns you and me, a film you cannot miss.

Kudos to Neeraj Pandey on his debut for this thought provoking plot.