Taut-thriller that checks all boxes for a thriller

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2019)

Uri: The Surgical Strikes is a taut thriller based on the real surgical strikes against terror camps based in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.
It is technically superior to almost any other Indian war movie made to date (Parmanu & Madras Cafe weren't strictly war movies). Some creative liberties have been taken, as is to be expected in a movie, and the action could have been better choreographed - though some of the hand-to-hand combat is superbly donw - but overall the fighting scenes take you right in the middle.
Movies like these are much-needed. It doesn't rationalize, doesn't sympathize with terrorism or terrorists. Is not apologetic about our soldiers. Celebrates their incredible bravery.
Is it a propaganda movie? No. It would have become that much less effective had it tried to be a propaganda movie. Among real-life figures, it is Doval (played by Paresh Rawal) that the movie highlights rather than Modi. Your children need to, must, see the movie. A couple of scenes may be graphic, but no more than what kids are already exposed to. And yes, I guarantee you that there won't be a dry eye in the theater at one point.
Vicky Kaushal is excellent. Paresh Rawal nails it as the NSA, Ajit Doval. Rajit Kapoor plays Modi in very subdued shades, which actually work, since that keeps the focus on the action. Mohit Raina is terrific. Yami Gautam is there for the glamour Q. Swaroop Sampat is poignant. Rakesh Bedi is brilliant in a short cameo. And the little girl will break your heart.
To conclude, in the 40 or so years that I have memories of watching movies in theaters, this is the first time - EVER - that cries of "Jai Hind" & spontaneous applause rend the hall.