I wouldn't have believed Red Alert was an Indian film, if Suniel Shetty wasn't on the cover of the DVD. No matter how much the title defies it, it is an Indian film, even though it has hardly any elements of Bollywood. Red Alert is a realistic film with an intense and serious storyline, which might be a bit too much for most people to digest since the audience demands light stories mostly, but is truly a film that will be appreciated by serious cinema lovers.

The plot revolves around Narsimha [Suniel Shetty], a farm labourer who desperately needs finance for his children's education and to get a job he does everything he can. He ends up as a cook to a group of Naxals living in a forest. Soon they force him into joining them and make him do harsh things, including getting trained in weapons, shootouts, kidnapping and the likes. Narsimha on the other hand, had always wished for a peaceful life with his wife and two children. All he wants is to earn and send his kids to school. Little does he know that once he enters this mess, it's really difficult to get out. Since he doesn't believe in the aims of this group, he has a confrontation with the leader of the group [Ashish Vidyarthi]. That's when his life turns into chaos and he has to run from both the militants and the police. He then has to take a crucial decision, which can change things completely. How things end up for him is something you need to watch the film to find out. All that can be said is, he is in a situation where he's being torn between survival and his conscience.

More than half of the film is shot in jungles with a lot of scenes at night. The setting is perfect; it's so real that it makes you forget you're watching a film. The actors have also done a good job within the scope of their roles. Suniel Shetty has portrayed the role of a helpless man perfectly. It is said that this is his best performance to date and I don't think I would deny that. The way Suniel Shetty slipped into the character of Narsimha is commendable.

Sameera Reddy has surprised the audience with this role and proved that she doesn't need a glam image for support. Her acting is natural. With Red Alert, Sameera has proved that she can perform well and that too, in serious roles. The supporting cast has done a good job too and Naseeruddin Shah made an impact with just one scene.

The background score is just as required and screenplay makes the movie interesting. Also, considering it is just two hours long, it's not stretched forcibly either. However, even though all the above mentioned things are good enough, the film has failed to attract a good audience. And why is that? Let me tell you.

As the plot suggests, this is an extremely dry film with only two songs. Yes that's hard to believe since Indian film directors love sprinkling their storyline with a couple of songs here and there, even when not needed. Also, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the two songs are in the background and don't strike a chord. They are completely forgettable. A movie as serious as Red Alert can do without music too and if the director has to put in music, he should have made sure it was good enough to make an impact. Remember how Raajneeti's music was so good?

The story is so serious and dry that a lot of concentration and interest on the viewer's part is needed to watch this film, which is not something our audiences really have. It's the kind of film that would achieve critical acclaim, get nominated at award functions and might even win a few but fails to attract audience to the multiplexes. Watch it only if you have an appetite for serious film, you will be disappointed otherwise.

– Hafsah Sarfraz