| This film opens in Switzerland where the President of India is holiday. Kinjal, his daughter, who is studying in America also joins dad for a well deserved break. But an international terrorist, Mabros, accompanied by some Indian officials, kidnaps them. They are held hostage in a hotel, based on a small secluded island. Captain Aadit Arya (Arjun Rampal) is given the responsibility of rescuing the President and his daughter. This mission is called Asambhav (meaning the impossible). On reaching his destination, Aadit meets Sam Hans (Naseeruddin Shah) and Brian who are involved with terrorists. He also discovers that drugs are being flown into Switzerland with the help of Alisha (Priyanka Chopra), a pop singer. Arya soon learns that there is a traitor working in the Indian embassy based in Switzerland. Who can this be? And does this solve the puzzle behind the kidnapping? Rajiv Rai's Asambhav can be described as a slick thriller which keeps you engrossed throughout the first half. But as the rescue mission takes shape, there are too many sub-plots, which act as a hindrance. One that glares straight in your face is the romantic angle between Alisha and Arya. A polite request to the director - we need to concentrate on the rescue mission and not on Arya's personal love life! As the film progresses towards a finale, we get to witness once again, the violence, blood and gore. This should have been toned down providing more impact on the film as a whole. Having said this, Asambhav does have its plus points especially on the technical front. The cinematography is superb as locales of Locarno are captured beautifully on celluloid. The action sequences appear slick whilst the songs, although adding a break to the narration, are not bad to listen to. Arjun Rampal adorns a 'new look' with bulging muscles, a sight which will go down a treat with the girls! He plays his part well considering he is the only one sent from India to rescue the President. Lets be fair, one would expect a large portion of the Indian army to be on guard, if their President went missing. But then again we are talking about a Bollywood film! So certain discrepancies must be allowed. Priyanka Chopra looks great throughout as the singer / cabaret dancer. Her role appears to be the same as in her last action flick, The Hero - Story Of A Spy. On the whole, if its action you are looking for, then Asambhav has plenty to offer with Arjun Rampal displaying his fighting skills. Reviewed by Manish Gajjar
BBC Shropshire's Mr Bollywood
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