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This is, says the narrator of the film, “my love story with Pippa.” It’s not a woman but a battle tank, the PT-76 that is the object of fascination for Balram Singh Mehta aka Balli. Pippa (on Amazon Prime Video), directed by Raja Krishna Menon, is based on a true story, inspired by the book titled The Burning Chaffees by Brigadier Mehta, who is played in the film by Ishaan Khattar.
Balli’s father was a military man, as is his staid brother Ram (Priyanshu Painyuli) and he joined the family tradition without giving it much thought. He is a happy-go-lucky bloke, who has trouble with discipline and authority, and this trait is anathema to the army. Right at the start, he disobeys orders when the testing of the Russian-made PT-76 tank is on, and is put on desk duty. This is soon after he has flirted and danced with a Russian interpreter (who does not make another appearance in the film) and it’s a surprise to learn that the tepid music is by AR Rahman.
Balli annoys his sister Radha (Mrunal Thakur) by being rude to her fiancé, and quarrels with his brother who rebukes him for his lax attitude.Their mother (Soni Razdan) ends up trying to keep the peace. When the trouble starts brewing between West and East Pakistan, Ram is sent to the front. Radha, who is good with code-breaking is recruited at the secret Communications and Analysis Wing, and eventually Balli proves his worth by modifying the Pippa Tank and being sent back to active duty.
It is not clear how and why Balli learns all about the tank and starts to “love” it, but when India intercedes to stop the genocide in East Pakistan, he and his beloved Pippa play a crucial role. Again, it is not explained why the non-Bengali speaking Ram is sent undercover to meet with the revolutionary Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan, where he is easily identified as an outsider and taken prisoner by the Pakistani army.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (Flora David Jacob) and Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw (Kamal Sadanah) decide to provoke Pakistani General Yahya Khan, and before the actual 13-day was between the two countries takes place, there is a pitched tank battle in Garibpur, which Balli ends up leading when the Chief of 45 Cavalry is killed.
There is talk of the US 7th Fleet heading towards India’s east coast, but there is no dramatic build up there. The battle scenes are mostly Balli shouting “Left Fire”, “Right Fire,” “Traverse Fire” and a Pakistani tank going up in flames!
The significance of the Garibpur Battle is mentioned before the end credits, but while it is on, there is very little tension built up. The relationship between members of the unit is also very cursorily dealt with. Indian involvement in the East Pakistani freedom struggle and the formation of Bangladesh has been the subject of many recent films and web series. Pippa picked a very interesting chapter of history, but a feature film requires much more—character development, emotional grip and a much better delineation of the circumstances that led to this War. The Bangladeshis, except for a few Mukti Bahini fighters, look particularly inert.
The crossing of the River Kabodak, by a fleet of amphibious Pippas (named thus for the Punjabi word for a ghee tin that floats in the water) is a thrilling sequence, but the rest is probably curtailed by budget restrictions. The same director’s Airlift, backed by Akshay Kumar’s star power and generous funding, made for an epic rescue drama. Pippa is on OTT, so worth a watch, but it does not live up to the potential of the story.
Pippa
Directed by Raja Krishna Menon
Cast: Ishaan Khattar, Mrunal Thakur, Priyanshu Painyuli and others
On Amazon Prime Video
