LOC Kargil (2003-movie) : Hindi Film

LOC Kargil Bollywood Film Trailer, Review, Song, Box office detail :

LOC Kargil is 2003 Bollywood war drama film based on the Kargil War fought between India and Pakistan, producer and directer is J. P. Dutta under his J.P. Films Banner. This film leading star cast are number of Bollywood stars Sanjay Dutt,Ajay Devgn,Karan Nath,Akkineni Nagarjuna,Saif Ali Khan,Sunil Shetty,Rani Mukerji,Kareena Kapoor and music composer are Aadesh Shrivastava and Anu Malik, with the former composing the score and the latter composing the songs. The film recorded as average returns at the box-office.

After release LOC received a mixed response critically and commercially. With a running time of 255 minutes, it is one of the longest Bollywood films ever made and fifth in terms of running time.The film is based on the 1999, Operation Vijay and Battle of Tololing around the Line of control.

Directer : J.P. Dutta
Producer : J.P. Dutta
Screenplay : J.P. Dutta
Story : J.P. Dutta
Based : Kargil War 1999
Starring : Sanjay Dutt,Ajay Devgn,Karan Nath,Akkineni Nagarjuna,Saif Ali Khan,Sunil Shetty,Rani Mukerji,Kareena Kapoor,Esha Deol
Raveena Tandon,Preeti Jhangiani
Music : Aadesh Shrivastava
Songs : Anu Malik
Cinematography : Karim Khatri
Production company : J P Films

Genre : War, Action, Drama
Release date : 25 December 2003
Running time : 246 mins
Country : India
Language : Hindi

Story of the film :

Suddenly dramatic shot of an Indian soldier’s wireless set chirping panic-stricken commands from one of the army bases, calling a patrol to report in while the radio operator lies dead in the snow. After frantic attempts from battalions to locate their lost patrols, the Indian Army HQ in Jammu and Kashmir decides to deploy more troops. Lts. Saurabh Kalia and Amit Bharadhwaj are sent on investigative- patrols around the Line of Control (LoC). Lt. Kalia’s patrol is wiped out while Lt. Bharadhwaj’s patrol suffers heavy casualties but manages to return to their base. Pakistani forces started shelling across the LoC, targeting National Highway 1A (NH-1A). The Indian Army decides to deploy more troops but suffer a rude shock when company and even battalion-sized patrols are beaten back by the Pakistani intruders who have occupied peaks around the Mushkoh Valley, Kargil, Dras, Kaksar and Batalik.

After these terrible reverses, the decision is taken to go ahead with maximum mobilisation and move the army’s best fighting units into the area of operations. During that time, orders from Delhi are that Indian soldiers are not allowed from crossing the LoC during their operations. Most mobilised battalions are completely unaware about the nature and size of the threat, thus the rationale behind maximum mobilisation is questioned by all the battalion commanders.

The first unit deployed is the 1st battalion, 11 Gorkha Rifles (1/11 GR) who are specialists in high-altitude warfare. 1/11 GR’s commanding officer is Col. Lalit Rai (Sudesh Berry), and the battalion has the charismatic and brave Lt. Manoj Pandey (Ajay Devgan) lead one of its platoons. Followed By, the 18th battalion, The Grenadiers (18 Grenadiers), which was in the Kashmir Valley guarding against terrorist infiltration, are deployed in Kargil. The battalion is led by Col. Khushal Thakur (Raj Babbar), and among the officers and soldiers are men like Lt. Col. R. Vishwanathan (Mohnish Behl), Maj. Rajesh Adhikari (Karan Nath), Lt. Balwan Singh (Akshaye Khanna), Capt. Sachin Nimbalkar (Vineet Sharma), and Grens. Yogendra Singh Yadav (Ashutosh Rana and Manoj Bajpai).

18 Grenadiers are followed by the 17th battalion, Jat Regiment (17 Jat) led by Col. Umesh Singh Bawa (Kiran Kumar) with Capt. Anuj Nayyar (Saif Ali Khan) leading one of its units. 17 Jat is followed by the 13th battalion, Jammu & Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif) commanded by Lt. Col. Yogesh Kumar Joshi (Sanjay Dutt) with Capt. Vikram Batra (Abhishek Bachchan) lead one of its units. Other battalions are subsequently inducted into the theatre of conflict. The Indian Air Force launches photographic investigative missions in order to identify the intruders.

The first assault is by the 1/11 GR advance platoon, led by Lt. Pandey, who first capture Yaldar village and link up with a under sieged and severely mauled company from the 3rd battalion, Punjab Regiment (3 Punjab). JCOs from 3 Punjab reveal that earlier patrols from 3 Punjab and 16 Grenadiers had gone missing in the Kukarthang sector. Lt. Pandey’s platoon follow the patrol paths and launch an attack on Kukarthang post, a very heavily defended enemy position supported by mortar units and artillery batteries on the Pakistani side of the LoC. The Gorkhas capture Kukarthang after taking 9 casualties. It is later revealed that the size of the infiltration was much larger than previously thought. Indian Army planners believe that approximately 3,000 members of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry are involved.

The second battle is at the strategic Tololing mountain which sits astride National Highway 1D, the main supply route for the entire northern Kashmir sector including Siachen and Leh. 18 Grenadiers link up with a severely beaten 16 Grenadiers and get first hand knowledge of the situation. A company from 18 Grenadiers, led by Maj. Adhikari, attacks Tololing. The company is held up midway due to heavy fog; it waits for clear weather. Intense enemy shelling occurs while the men are resting, causing panic and casualties. They try to move up the mountain but are pushed down by heavy small arms fire from intruders who are well establish overhead the position. successive attacks from the Indians are stifled by stiff resistance, and in the absence of artillery support, Maj. Adhikari and Lt. Col. Vishwanathan are killed. 18 Grenadiers make a total of 4 attempts to recapture Tololing but are repeatedly beaten back.

During that time, a unit from 17 Jat led by Maj. Deepak Rampal (Sanjay Kapoor) capture a Pakistani mortar position. They successively release an important peak, but suffer casualties. Col. Bawa tasks them to capture Pt. 4850.

18 Grenadiers are relieved by the 2nd battalion, Rajputana Rifles (2 Raj Rif), commanded by Col. Ravindranath (Ashish Vidyarthi), which moves in with an artillery battery of 110 mm field artillery and acclimatised troops. They launch a multi-pronged attack with artillery support which ends in success but at a heavy cost, with Capt. Vijayant Thapar (Amar Upadhyay), Maj. Padmapani Acharya (Nagarjuna Akkineni) and Maj. Vivek Gupta (Himanshu Malik) killed. All this happens while 13 JAK Rif stands by in case 2 Raj Rif fails. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force launches combat sorties (Operation Safed Sagar) and bombs enemy positions.

13 JAK Rif is blooded at Rocky Knob where they take the field after suffering heavy casualties. They gradually it up with another victory at Point 5140 where Lt. Batra distinguishes himself by taking the south face of the peak without any casualties and is promoted to captain.

The decisive phase of the war arrives. 18 Grenadiers are assigned to take Tiger Hill, 17 Jat to Three Pimple Complex feature, 1/11 GR to Khalubar Ridge and 13 JAK Rif to Point 4875. After a heavy artillery barrage 18 Grenadiers take Tiger Hill, spearheaded by a daring stealth attack by the elite Ghatak section, which includes both Grens. Yogendra Singh Yadav. However, only 1 member of the section, Gren. Yadav (Manoj Bajpai), survives (despite being shot several times) to link up with the rest of the battalion. 17 Jat suffers heavy casualties with Capt. Nayyar and several others killed and injured, but is able to secure Three Pimple Complex.

1/11 GR link up with 22 Grenadiers at the base of Khalubar Ridge after braving an intense wriggle barrage of artillery. Lt. Pandey somehow keeps the weaken morale of the weary unit up till the battalion begins its attack. The plans go wrong when Col. Rai, is injured by machine gun fire. Lt. Pandey volunteers to take out the bunkers which are holding up the attack. The machine guns are taken out, but Lt. Pandey and his platoon sergeant Hav. Bhim Bahadur (Puru Raaj Kumar) are killed.

The last battle is fought by 13 JAK Rif at Bunker Complex. The unit gets split up – Capt. Batra is sent to link up with Capt. Nagappa (Nagender Choudhary) who has captured one bunker and is surrounded by the enemy. Batra links up with Nagappa but is pinned down himself by heavy enemy fire. He single-handedly takes out two bunkers but is mortally wounded. 13 JAK Rif pursues the fleeing enemy to the LOC but Col. Y. K. Joshi stops due to orders not to cross it. After that the 18 Grenadiers, 8 Sikh and 1/11 Gorkha Rifles launch their final attack on Tiger Hill and they manage to capture it.17 Jat captures Three Pimple Complex. 13 J&K Rifles capture Point 4875. 1/11 GR capture Khalubar Ridge. Finally, India declares Operation Vijay on 14 July 1999 a success.

Star cast of the film :

• Sanjay Dutt as a Lt. Col. Yogesh Kumar Joshi, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Ajay Devgn as a Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles
• Sunil Shetty as a Rfn. Sanjay Kumar, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Nagarjuna as a Maj. Padmapani Acharya, 2 Rajputana Rifles
• Saif Ali Khan as a Capt. Anuj Nayyar, 17 Jat
• Abhishek Bachchan as a Capt. Vikram Batra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Sanjay Kapoor as a Maj. Deepak Rampal, 17 Jat Regiment
• Akshaye Khanna as a Lt. Balwan Singh, 18 The Grenadiers
• Rani Mukerji as a Hema (Manoj Pandey’s love interest)
• Kareena Kapoor as a Simran Kaur (Anuj Nayyar’s fiancée)
• Raveena Tandon as a Deepak Rampal’s wife
• Preeti Jhangiani as a Balwan Singh’s fiancée
• Mahima Chaudhry as a Reena Yadav (Yogendra Singh Yadav’s wife)
• Esha Deol as a Dimple Cheema (Vikram Batra’s fiancée)
• Isha Koppikar as a Santo (Sanjay Kumar’s fiancée)
• Manoj Bajpayee as a Gren. Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers
• Karan Nath as a Maj. Rajesh Singh Adhikari, 2 Mechanised Infantry attached with 18 Grenadiers
• Armaan Kohli as a Maj. Vikas Vohra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Puru Raaj Kumar as a Hav. Bhim Bahadur, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles
• Bikram Saluja as a Capt. Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, Army Service Corps attached with 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Himanshu Malik as a Maj. Vivek Gupta, 2 Rajputana Rifles
• Raj Babbar as a Col. Khushal Thakur, 18 Grenadiers
• Kiran Kumar as a Col. Umesh Singh Bawa, 17 Jat
• Ashish Vidyarthi as a Col. Magod Basappa Ravindranath,2 Rajputana Rifles
• Sudesh Berry as a Col. Lalit Rai, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles
• Mohnish Bahl as a Lt. Col. Ramakrishnan Vishwanathan, 18 Grenadiers
• Ayub Khan as a Maj. P.S. Janghu, 17 Jat
• Amit Behl as a Maj. Ajay Singh Jasrotia, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Amar Upadhyay as a Capt. Vijayant Thapar, 2 Rajputana Rifles
• Ashutosh Rana as a Gren. Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers
• Avtar Gill as a Sub. Digendra Kumar, 2 Rajputana Rifles
• Milind Gunaji as a Maj. Rajesh Adhau, Army Medical Corps (RMO) Regimental Medical Officer, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Mukesh Tiwari as a Maj. Amul Asthana, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles
• Deepak Jethi as a Maj. Mohit Saxena, 2 Rajputana Rifles
• Vineet Sharma as a Capt. Sachin Annarao Nimbalkar, 18 Grenadiers
• Nagender Choudhary as a Capt. Nagappa, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Deepraj Rana as a Sub. Raghunath Singh, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Rohit Roy as a Capt. Shashi Bhushan, Regiment of Artillery (315 Field Regiment) attached with 17 Jat Regiment
• Yashodhan Bal as a Lt. Gen.
• Arvind Mehta as a Brig.
• Devashish as a Capt. Joy Dasgupta, 18 Grenadiers
• Ashutosh Jha as a Intruder
• Surendra Singh as a Intruder
• Shahzad Khan as a Nb. Sub. Zakir Hussain, 22 Grenadiers
• Akbar Naqvi as a Maj. Ajeet Singh
• Sharad Kapoor as a Maj.S.Vijay Bhaskar 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles
• Divya Dutta as a Yogendra Singh Yadav’s wife
• Priya Gill as a Charulatha Acharya (Acharya Padmapani’s wife)
• Namrata Shirodkar as a Y. K. Joshi’s wife
• Akanksha Malhotra as a Kiran Adhikari (Rajesh Adhikari’s wife)
• Maya Alagh as a Manoj Pandey’s mother

Pre-Post Production Details :

Just like J. P. Dutta’s previous war movie Border is Highly successful so the Indian military provided technical and material assistance during the production and film shooting of LOC Kargil.

Weapons portray were those used in the Kargil war, like different variants of the INSAS rifle family as well as Swedish Bofors Haubits FH77 artillery guns and BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers. Indian Air Force planes like SEPECAT Jaguars in bombing roles and helicopters like Mil Mi-17s and HAL Cheetahs were shown in casualty evacuation roles. Pakistani artillery depicted were Indian field guns and 81 mm mortars. SLRs stood in for the G3 rifles used by the Pakistan Army.

Shah Rukh Khan was initially offered Sanjay Dutt’s role, but J P Dutta never show script to their actor during finalizing so shah rukh khan refused to work. Tusshar Kapoor was the initial choice for Karan Nath’s role. Rahul Khanna and Arbaaz Khan were signed for the film but both leaved the film. Jackie Shroff was signed for the film but dropped out later.

Salman Khan was the original choice for Abhishek Bachchan’s role Mukesh Khanna was signed for the film but was later replaced by Raj Babbar. Danny Denzongpa was signed for the film but later opted out; Sudesh Berry replaced him later.

Music / song of the film :

This film music composer is Anu Malik, with lyricist is Javed Akhtar. The music was released by Saregama label. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 15,00,000 units sold, this film’s music album was the year’s eighth highest-selling.

• “Pyar Bhare Geet”………………….Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
• “Main Kahin Bhi Rahoon”………Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Roop Kumar Rathod, Hariharan, Sukhwinder Singh
• “Ek Saathi Aur Bhi Tha”………..Sonu Nigam
• “Seemaaye Bulaaye” ……………Alka Yagnik
• “Khush Rehena”…………………..Roop Kumar Rathod
• “Before We Forget”………………..Instrumental

“Ek Saathi Aur Bhi Tha” full video song :

• Singer : Sonu Niigaam
• Writers : Anu Malik, Javed Akhtar
• Licensed to YouTube : saregama

Review of the film : LOC Kargil :

This film is release with High expectation Because of High success of Border and Sper star cast of Bollywood Leading actor’s But Critics review are Mixed to Average mainly on Long Movie with No sparks that seen in Border film.

Anupama Chopra from India Today Megazine Criticised the film By Saying That ” Somewhere inside LoC is a good film struggling to get out. It has painstakingly crafted scenes that bring alive the bloody reality of war; fine performances; and moments of shattering poignancy as bodies are sprayed with bullets.

But to get there, you have to suffer through interminably long and repetitive sequences that establish the film’s long line of characters, each with a reasonably attractive wife/lover pining for him at home.

LoC doesn’t have a narrative script but even Dutta’s scenes-from a-war strategy might have worked if it was more concise. Stretching to more than four hours, the film feels almost as long as the actual conflict.

There are so many characters that none have enough screen time to make an impact. The viewer is constantly jostled from one soldier to the other and from one battle to the next.”

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama Give 4 star out of 5 , and Saying that ” Ajay gets into the skin of the role and delivers a performance that’s sure to win accolades. Saif is getting better with every film. He manages to stand out despite the heavy line-up. Abhishek Bachchan is extremely likeable. This is amongst his superior performances. Manoj Bajpai is controlled and the camaraderie he shares with Ashutosh Rana is fantastic.

Sanjay Dutt’s role doesn’t have much screen presence, while Suniel Shetty is relegated to the backseat. Akshaye Khanna is alright.
The leading actress don’t get much scope. Yet, Kareena Kapoor stands out of the crowd, followed by Esha Deol.

On the whole, L.O.C. is a powerful experience. It has power-packed direction and power-packed sequences that remain etched in your memory even after the show has concluded. More than anything else, L.O.C. is a triumph for the master film-maker who has the guts and the vision to make a film of this magnitude!”

Box office collection of the film :

This film is Released with High expectations, also Opening First day is very Good, 2.27 cr. Opening Day, But Negative reviews affect the saturday and nearly 1.87 cr. rs, while First Sunday is again rise and 2.28 cr. rs., so first three days collection is 6.43 cr. rs., First week collection is 10.62 cr, All time India collection is 18 crores while worldwide collection is 32 cr. And Box office India declared this film is Hit film.

Day wise collection :

• First Day……………..2.27 crores
• Saturday…………….1.87 crores
• Sunday……………….2.28 crores
• First Weekend…….6.43 crores
• Monday……………..1.35 crores
• Tuesday……………1.20 crores
• First Week………..10.62 crores
• Second Week……..4.02 crores
• Third Week…………….1.69 crores
• Lifetime India (net)…………18 crores
• Worldwide Gross…………….32 crores
• Box office India Verdict : Hit film

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