A Wednesday

Anupam Kher, again, this time in a lead role. Facing off with Naseerudin Shah. Minus song and dance, and other silly distractions. The casting is reason enough to celebrate; the plot and the treatment matches up. Almost.

One Wednesday afternoon, Mumbai is under grave threat. 8216;A Wednesday8217; is another in the sudden spurt of recent films which deal with terror and Mumbai UTV8217;s last releases Mumbai Meri Jaan, and Aamir. Police commissioner Prakash Rathod8217;s cell buzzes. An anonymous caller only we, the viewers, know it is Naseer from an unlisted number wants a bunch of dreaded terrorists released, or else he will trigger the bombs he8217;s placed in parts of the city.

The cat-and-mouse game that ensues also involves two hot-shot cops, Arif and Jai Jimmy and Aamir, and scoop-hungry reporter Naina Deepal. There8217;s a twist in the tale which we won8217;t reveal, but this we have to say: there8217;s curiously little tension generated as the proceedings unspool. You see Naseer powering up his laptop, on the terrace of an under-construction building, with his many cellphones-with-unidentifiable-SIM cards. You see Anupam marshalling his forces from Mumbai8217;s police headquarters, and barking orders at his troops. But there8217;s not a single heart-stopping moment. And the vigilante-ism that is revealed in the end is discomfiting: do we blow up people who blow us up? Does an eye for an eye take us anywhere?

A couple of touches stand out, though: as Anupam waits for the next call from the man threatening his city, the phone rings with an offer. It8217;s one of those pesky call centre types! And as Naseer finishes up for the day, and leaves his spot, he suddenly remembers something, and comes back to pick up a polythene bag filled with veggies. Put an end to people whom the state is powerless to do anything about, and then go home to your wife. Nice.