Cast: Harbhajan Mann, Manpreet Grewal, Ashish Duggal, Shivendra Mahal, Bobby Sandhu

Director: Amitoj Mann

Rating: ***1/2

Celebrated Punjabi singer Harbhajan Mann's movie 'Gaddar-The Traitor' is pollywood's first suspense thriller. Talent and technique have made the flick memorable. Never before the Punjabi cinema had witnessed such a craft and the courage to try a new genre.

The movie revolves around the days of terrorism when politicians and the police were busy making fake encounters killing hundreds of Sikh youth. It takes the audience back to early eighties when Punjab was plagued by militancy. Harbhajan Mann, the hero is depicted as an affluent Non-Resident-Indian (NRI) now settled in Canada. The hero is shown to have penchant for throwing around his wealth to impress the NRIs in hotels and pubs. He is a former terrorist who escaped to Canada after being hounded by the Punjab police. But one day he returns to his mother land and starts working for the release of his father Master Balwant Singh from the jail. Balwant Singh was convicted for killing a popular police officer the SSP Surjit Singh Sandhu who commited atrocities on the youngsters.

The movie also alludes to a real-life rumour which spread in late nineties that late SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu did not commit suicide and was still alive living in Canada. The cops and the politicians managed to kill another person who was passed as the late SSP Sandhu while in fact Sandhu had escaped to canada and was living under the name of Steve Sandhu.

Gadaar is also complete with good music and soulful songs sung by Harbhajan Mann. There is one peppy number while other four songs are sombre and thought provoking. The movie is also littered with bollywood style fights and style.

It is worth mentioning that the movie ultimately ends with holding the law above all. The brute policemen and the politicians are arrested on the orders of the Chief Minister in the presence of the villagers. The plot creates suspense, intrigue and thrill. It leaves the message of love and peace.