PremiumPippa review: Ishaan Khatter, Mrunal Thakur's captivating war drama will have your heart swell with pride
Pippa movie review: Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Pippa features Ishaan Khatter, Mrunal Thakur, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Soni Razdan. Here's our review of the Amazon Prime Video film.
Last Updated: 12.15 PM, Nov 10, 2023
Pippa's story
Director Raja Krishna Menon's film Pippa revolves around the lives of three siblings: Balram Singh Mehta (Ishaan Khatter), Ram Mehta (Priyanshu Painyuli) and Radha (Mrunal Thakur). The story is set amid the battle of Garibpur between India and Pakistan on the eastern front during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. This battle was important to Bangladesh's struggle for independence. The movie is based on the firsthand account penned by Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta in the book The Burning Chaffees.
Pippa movie review
Produced by Ronnie Screwvala's RSVP movies and Siddharth Roy Kapur's Roy Kapur Films, Pippa takes you back to the time of tensions between East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan). At the same time, the movie sheds light on an important exercise between India and Russia. Here, we are introduced to Captain Balram Singh Mehta, aka Balli (Ishaan), who doesn't follow the rules laid out during the exercise. The news reaches his family members, Maati (Soni Razdan), Radha (Mrunal) and Ram (Priyanshu). Balram's elder brother's worst fear comes true as his younger brother is asked to shift base from his unit to do paperwork at a government office.
On the other hand, Radha, who was in talks of getting married to a dentist, changes her mind and priorities her newfound work during her final year of college. While Balram faces a new challenge and Radha takes up an intriguing work assignment, Ram is called back to his unit for a secret mission. Amid all this, Balram manages to prove his worth as an army official. Impressed by his work ethic and talent, Mehta is shifted back to his unit. This time, both Ram and Balram are at the front as soldiers, while their mother and Radha in Delhi pray for their safe return from the border.
What is interesting about Pippa is how the makers have perfectly blended the story of three siblings and a massive battle being fought between India and Pakistan. Although the film runs high on the emotions of a family, it keeps the essence and intensity intact of being a war drama.
What works for Pippa is its gripping and captivating storyline. The performances of the star cast are phenomenal. Ishaan Khatter shines as Balram Singh Mehta. His character's courage and valour are enough to motivate anyone. Priyanshu Painyuli, as Ram Mehta, stays true to his character and stands out as a perfectionist. As for Mrunal Thakur, the actress is impressive as Radha. Her character is layered and the surprise element to her role is something to watch out for in Pippa. Soni Razdan also does justice to her role as a mother to three children.
Having said that, Pippa falls flat in the beginning. It is slow-paced at first and takes time to build the core narrative. Since Pippa is a war drama, songs should've been done away with. Rather, an intriguing BGM would've amplified the gripping narrative. Some events and scenes in the film seem overdramatised.
Pippa's verdict
To sum up the film in a few words, Pippa is a captivating war drama that will have your heart swelling with pride. Jai Hind!