When was the last time you witnessed young kids saving the world from certain destruction? Some 18 months to be exact; when Kamil, Saadi and Amna defeated Mangu in Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s 3 Bahadur. The two-time Academy Award winner returns with her team to give kids a perfect winter vacation with the sequel to her award-winning creation and it’s something to look forward to, considering that the holiday season has already started!

Who are the 3 Bahadur?

The 3 Bahadur are three especially gifted kids who live in a town named Rohsan Nagar; Saadi (Zuhab Khan), Kamil (Hanzala Shahid) and Amna (Arisha Razi) defeated super villain Mangu soon after they were granted powers by Deenu Chacha (Behroze Sabzwari) who is the custodian of good, just as Baba Balaam (Fahim Khan) is the keeper of evil in this world.

Kamil’s dog Ghabru loves to help him out when in trouble. Although the three are inseparable, in the movie, there are times when they don’t see eye to eye and go their separate ways, albeit temporarily. They set aside all issues when things go from bad to worse and that’s one of the reasons why they are so successful as they stick together, no matter what.

Why do the kids love them?

Like all children out there, the three also hate the bad things that happen every now and then, and that’s why they use their powers to conquer evil and make life simple for their fellow residents, and for the world. They use their power for good and help people, although a few don’t like their meddling, such as the policemen of the area. They believe that the kids should concentrate on their studies rather than fight crime and such thinking resonates with the thought process of most of the parents. The 3 Bahadur don’t disobey their parents but are shown to comply with their wishes, however, they do try to present their case and come out victorious.

The very famous ‘new’ entrants

In an animated movie like 3 Bahadur, voice over artists play an important role and the three kids Zuhab Khan, Hanzala Shahid and Arisha Razi do a wonderful job. Veteran TV actors such as Behroze Sabzwari reprises his role of Deenu Chacha while TV stars Fahad Mustafa, Sarwat Gillani (as parents) and Ahmed Ali Butt (police officer), Zeba Shehnaz (Mithu), singer Ali Pir Gul (gangster) and RJ Khalid (also a parent) make their presence felt with their vocals.

The most notable entry was that of Fahim Khan (Baba Balaam) who gave the kids in the audience creeps with his ‘dangerous’ expressions. Zeba Shehnaz makes you hate the parrot character she is playing as well, because not only does it irritate one of the lead characters but also the audience with one-liners like Ud gaye totay!

Characters make the plot interesting!

There is a villain who likes to eat, one who is very bad to look at, another one, who gets scared easily and there is another who is just tall and broad. Their leader is a smart alec named Tony and while they all work for Baba Balaam, it is their characterisation that makes them stand out. Nearly all voices suit the characters to a T, except a few and you can easily point that out once you watch the movie.

The kids also evolve during the course of the film and that’s one of the reasons why they fight and even disband for some time. The dog Ghabru has an interesting part to play in the plot. Interestingly, we can treat Visual Effects (VFX) as one of the characters too because you will be blown away when the animators play with water that isn’t real. Impressive!

Informative, very informative

Did you know that if you run at a certain speed, you would be able to run over water? Or that when certain things are burning you can’t cool them down with water alone?

These are some of the informative things that one learns from this flick where kids are shown to do both stupid and constructive things. The parents and elders are shown to be sceptical about kids with powers, but it is they who support them in the end because even they know that these gifted individuals are special. The film does seem drag to at times, but it picks up well, especially in the second hour when things take a turn for the bad.

Shiraz Uppal and his songs

And then there are the songs — just like the last time, this sequel to 3 Bahadur has amazing songs all composed by Shiraz Uppal, written by Shakil Sohail and performed by both Shiraz and Jabar Abbas.

As no film can be complete without songs in this part of the world, Shiraz chips in with his contribution. However, there is one song that stands out where the voice over artists sing for the characters they are playing on screen. People, especially kids, will love the songs and when they come out of the cinema, they will actually be in a good mood, trust me!

Make your holidays more fun!

The reason why people are likely to throng to cinemas for 3 Bahadur 2 is the fact that a) it is completely in Urdu with pop culture references here and there; b) it comes at a time when people are in need of good entertainment in cinemas and; c) it helps parents take a sigh of relief for two hours as kids enjoy themselves.

Project Head Kamran Khan must be commended for a job well done since he has penned the script as well and has directed the flick under the supervision of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The background score has again been done by John Angier and that’s one of the reasons why the flick gives the feeling of being something of international level. So, if you are a fan of the franchise, an ardent follower of their comics or have nothing else to watch during holidays, 3 Bahadur 2 may provide you a chance to save the world with the lead characters. Go Bahadurs!

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 24th, 2016