Based on the book The Burning Chaffees, written by Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta, Pippa stars Ishaan Khatter in the lead alongside Mrunal Thakur, Priyanshu Painyuli and Soni Razdan in pivotal roles. The movie is set in 1971, in the backdrop of the India-Pakistan War and events that happened during the Battle of Garibpur. Considering Pippa is a war movie, it must evoke a certain emotion in you. Does it manage to do so? Read the review to find out.

An honest effort that falls short

Pippa is primarily about three siblings, Ram (Priyanshu Painyuli), Radha (Mrunal Thakur), and Balli (Ishaan Khatter), who are all fighting the war on three fronts. But the primary focus is on Balli and India’s first amphibious tank, Pippa. The source material, i.e. The Burning Chaffees had all the makings of a war epic. Unfortunately, the film falls short.

Pippa makes a sincere effort to tell the stories of the refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as well as India’s 45 Cavalry regiment who come to the aid of the East Pakistanis. While the struggles of the refugees are showcased well enough, it lacks any impact. Your heart won’t be bleeding looking at the violence and gore, which is where Pippa fails. Unlike a lot of other Indian war movies, Pippa fails to invoke any sense of patriotism, nor does it have the edge-of-the-seat tension that a movie like this should have. Pippa lacks the burning feeling of wanting to see a war resolved or lives saved. It’s quite a thanda movie for a garam subject. There are also complex family dynamics that are never explored in the movie and the motivations of the characters are never shown to the audience. The sense of patriotism in Ram, Radha, and Balli seems to come from their father who was also in the army, but as individuals, their motivations are not clear.

Commendable performances

The actors put forth commendable performances in Pippa which is the only saving grace for the movie. Ishaan Khatter is earnest as the rebellious Balli, but due to his boyishness, he is unable to pull off the masculinity and grit that comes with a stature such as that of Captain Balram Singh Mehta. Priyanshu Painyuli as Major Ram Singh Mehta is also a delight to watch on screen, and a bit more of a layered character than the straightforward Balli.

Mrunal Thakur, though great as Radha, doesn’t really have a lot to do in the 139-minute film. She decrypts some important coded messages and works for the intelligence, but her character again isn’t fully exploited. There was so much more potential in Radha, which would have made her at least an intriguing character.

The problem with Pippa is that it lacks soul and the characters are very one-dimensional. So, if you are looking for a movie with a lot of heart and emotions, this is not the one for you.

Pippa is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Can you watch Pippa with your family?: Sure you can, but it would be advisable to keep the kids away from the gore and bloodshed.

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