namanmishra I am not a big movie buff and very selective about the movies that I watch. I watched this movie when it was released in 2004 and was sure that this movie will be the ones which would have a lasting impact on me. And it did. 11 years later, I still feel inspired by the protagonist of this movie. How an aimless Delhi boy falls flat on his face due to his own doing, goes through the grind and toughs it out as a way to pay his dues and comes out victorious. Farhan Akhtar has never failed to impress with his work, be it Dil Chahta Hai, Karthik Calling Karthik, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag or Lakshya. I consider Lakshya his best work. The protagonist played by Hrithik Roshan was portrayed perfectly. The gradual maturity of the character comes out very well. Amitabh Bachchan's role was limited to the extent it was required, Om Puri had a brief role but enough to leave a mark. The other army officers have been played by reputed actors like Sushant Singh, Raj Zutshi and Aditya Srivastav. The music suited the various situations and was not 'filmy'. Clean, melodious music. Hats-off to the entire team who made this movie what it was.

jmathur_swayamprabha Lakshya (aim) is the exemplary story of a carefree as well as careless youth, Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan) who is in love with Romila Dutta (Preity Zinta) but she finds it difficult to spend her life with a person like Karan who does not have any aim (LAKSHYA) in his life and happy to spend a lazy life on the strength of the money earned by his father. On the contrary, Romila has an aim for herself - to become a successful news-channel correspondent. Karan does not take the things seriously and joins the army casually only to run away from the Indian Military Academy within a few days due to the hard training and strict discipline there. This lack of an aim or LAKSHYA in his life distances Romila from him. But once he realizes that an aimless life is not worthwhile and his way of life needs to be changed for the better, he rejoins the army and gets an aim during the Kargil war of 1999. He successfully accomplishes his aim and being an Indian hero, gets the love of his life, i.e., Romila too.The message of Lakshya is pretty clear and exemplary for one and all. Though it's established now that our lives are without aims from the side of Nature (or Almighty), it's in our own interest to have some aim for us. The aim should be a positive one (and not something unlawful) which will provide a direction to our life and activities. There has to a vision for our life sans which the life may be like a rudderless vessel drifting on the waters at the mercy of the waves and tides. Setting a goal makes the life of the concerned person meaningful. Thereafter the life is lived and not spent. And setting a goal does not mean just earning a living (as most of the Indians understand and follow). It's much more. It helps us in growing-up and understanding ourselves. Finally, each one of us has to die some day. At that moment, there should be a satisfaction that a life has been well-lived and something worthwhile has been done. Then the death will also be peaceful and meaningful.A country like ours which is studded with youth power, requires youths moving ahead with one or the other productive aim in their sight, one or the other pleasant dream in their eyes. That dream fills colour in the sketch of the individual's life. And that's what makes his life beautiful, meaningful and satisfactory. And of course ! Productive for the society and the nation. This is what Lakshya underscores and that's the biggest strength of the movie.After his maiden venture - Dil Chaahta Hai (2001), Lakshya came as the second venture of Farhaan Akhtar who is the son of the legendary script-writer and Shaayar, Jaaved Akhtar. Since Dil Chaahta Hai was a box office hit and critically acclaimed too, comparisons were natural with that. And Lakshya, despite being a good movie made on a good theme, could not live up to the expectations. The subject has been handled dryly and despite the hero's final triumph in the war (capturing point no. 5179), the director could not convince the audience at large. The big question remains in the end whether winning one strategic point in the war fulfilled the objective of the movie. Should there not be a larger aim in life ? Further, I don't think anybody can join, leave and then rejoin the military academy so easily as shown in the movie.The on-screen chemistry of the hero and the heroine as well as their relationship in the story could not be exasperated to the optimum. Despite casting stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Amrish Puri and Boman Irani; the director could not tap their potential and they were reduced to supporting actors in insignificant roles. The movie is good in patches. All the same, it has the flavour of an idealistic movie and deserves admiration. Unlike DCH, the entertainment value of Lakshya is low.Though the chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta has not been developed properly on the screen, both of them have delivered power-packed performances individually. Hrithik has demonstrated once again that given a good role, he is unmatchable. And Preity who has been given the get-up of the ace journo Barkha Dutt, has also done her part pretty well. As said earlier, many talented actors have been wasted in supporting roles but nobody has disappointed through his acting.Technically the movie is good but considering the gravity of the Kargil war episode, the work should have been better. Action and thrills are just OK. Length is also not too much. Dialogs are neither great, nor bad. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy could not create the Dil Chaahta Hai magic in their musical score. However Main Aisa Kyon Hoon, Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe, Agar Main Kahoon, Kitni Baatein Yaad Aati Hain etc. are according to the mood of the movie. Background score is also in order.All in all, Lakshya though not a great movie, is laudable due to its subject matter and certain plus points. Let's have some aim. Let's have some dream. Let's make our lives meaningful. Everyone may not be fortunate enough to have his cherished dream fulfilled but as Ajay Devgan (as the martyr Captain Manoj Pandey) says in LOC-Kargil (2003) to his superior officer - 'Some goals are so worthy that it's glorious even to fail'.So true ! Hit or miss, there should be a LAKSHYA worth aiming at.

long-ford This film begins well and is interesting enough for the first hour. Unfortunately, the pace slackens as the film focuses on overlong attack sequences in the second half. It still remains watchable but is not as entertaining as Farhan Akhtar's first film 'Dil Chahta Hai'. Hrithik does a good job specially in the first half. He has an impressive dance number "Main Aisa Kyun". Preity doesn't share great chemistry with Hrithik and looks awkward as a reporter. Amitabh Bachchan has a short role and feels wasted. Tighter editing would have made this a much better film.Overall 5/10

HeadleyLamarr After seeing liking Dil Chahta Hai and Don I wanted to see other films by Farhan Akhtar. Lakshya surprised me quite a bit. The coming of age of an aimless young man (Karan played by Hritik Roshan) was shown quite well in this film. His motivation is love, he decides to stop drifting and joins the army, after a false start he does shape up and then realizes he might have lost his love (Romi - Preity Zinta) to someone else in the process. Posted near the Kargil border his bravery and dedication to his country is amply tested. He also encounters Romi as a war journalist. In the end he does reach his Lakshya - his goal, and achieves personal growth in the process.The movie is beautifully shot in locale in Delhi, Dehradun and in Kashmir. The scenery is stunning and some of the war footage is mind blowing. There is a rock climbing episode that will remind the viewer of the Guns of Navarone but is spectacular all the same. Mr. Roshan make a very believable war hero and seems well capable of the heroics he performs. Miss Zinta is good in a not so major role.. The big B is very restrained as Col. Damle and the rest of the cast does their job really well. The music is good except for the first song with Hritik dancing in front of all the mirrors - that is just bad. The story has some inconsistencies - why is she the only journalist at the front line? How did they let her in so close to the fighting? But in the end Lakshya is a serious story about the journey into adulthood, and becoming man enough to shoulder responsibilities that come your way. Watch it - but be warned, it is not a popcorn flick!