The film opens with shots of brooms and dustpans cleaning dried blood and bullet casings in and around Swati building at Lokhandwala Complex[http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/may/23look.htm]. TVN reporter Meeta Matu [Diya Mirza] reports that some 3000 rounds of ammunition were discharged by a large Police squad at a previously peaceful residential locality. The film moves to the offices of former chief justice turned private prosecutor Dhingra [Amitabh Bachchan] where he interviews the three leading members of the Mumbai Police Encounter Squad , Assistant Commissioner of Police Shamer Khan[referring to A A Khan, played by Sanjay Dutt], Inspector Kaviraj Patil [Sunil Shetty] and Sub-Inspector Javed Sheikh [Arbaaz Khan]. The main film timeline is the extended interview of the three officers by Dhingra; as the officers answer Dhingras questions, the film flashes back to show the incidents. Dhingra asks about the Encounter Squad. Khan explains that he hand-picked 27 of Mumbai Polices best enlisted men and officers. He borrowed the concept from the LAPD SWAT Special Weapons And Tactics team to help combat crime in the city. The film flashes back to show Khan selecting his men and putting them through intensive physical and mental training to be "fast, efficient and deadly". Dhingra is hardly impressed: he points out that if Khan chooses to "shoot to kill" then Khan is no different from the gangsters he seeks to destroy. Dhingra asks why Khan felt he had do this. Khan explains that following Operation Bluestar in 1984, several Sikh terrorists fled to Mumbai and began establishing a base in the city. They engaged in violence, extortion and other subversive tactics to grow their operations. The film flashes back to show Police Sub Inspector [PSI] Abhishek Mhatre [Abhishek Bachchan] , a very brave officer and disciple of Khan , pursuing and subsequently getting shot down by a group of Sikh terrorists. Khan is deeply frustrated when the Mumbai Police, mired in internal bureaucracy and corruption, fails to act. He obtains clearance from the police commissioner Krishnamurthy [played by the real A A Khan] and sets out after the militants. Khan asks Meeta Matu [Diya Mirza] to cover the incident so as to deter future terrorists. True to Khans words, he successfully "encounters" [a practice mistakenly considered unique to Indian Police; it indicates summarily gunning down criminals; extra judicial killings is the term accepted internationally] the terrorists who had shot PSI Mhatre. As per Aftab Ahmed Khan the encounter with Khalistani Extremist was more dangerous and tough than Shootout at Lokhandwala. At this point the film segues into the life of Maya [referring to Mumbai gangster Mahindra Dolas though the film never mentions "Dolas" specifically; played by Vivek Oberoi]. Maya is the second-in-command of the "big boss" in Dubai [a clear reference to Dawood Ibrahim though the film does not mention his name at all] and runs Dawoods criminal activities in Mumbai. Maya recruits Bhua [referring to Dilip Buwa, played by Tusshar Kapoor] after successfully hatching a plot to eliminate Bhuas old gang led by Ashok Joshi. At this point, Maya and Bhua are at the top of Mumbais underworld, reporting directly to the big boss in Dubai. Things heat up when Khan recognizes, through his network of spies and informers, that Maya is responsible for several criminal and possibly terrorist activities. Around this time, Mayas ambitions, fueled by his Aais [Amrita Singh] insistence, grow to the point where he wishes to assert his independence from Dubai and take over Mumbai himself. Khans ATS now focuses on eliminating Maya and Bhua, and begins a dangerous cat-and-mouse game where neither side shows any overt aggression but tries to disable the adversary by tactical maneuver. Khan launches "visits" to the criminals families to try and "persuade" them to counsel the criminals to surrender. In turn, Maya and his men return the "visit" by approaching the cops at social situations. Maya visits Khan at a restaurant where Khan is having dinner with his family. Maya quietly tells Khan: "This is between your men and mine. Leave the families out of it." Khan retorts: "I did this to give you an opportunity to come clean. But now it appears that any resolution hangs off the barrel of a gun." Mayas rage intensifies when he gets thrown out by prominent city builder Wadhwani [based on real life builder and politician Gopal Rajwani, owner of the building that the movie was set in]. Maya had demanded 40 lakhs protection money; Wadhwani claimed to deal directly with Dubai. Maya kidnaps Wadhwanis sniveling and overweight kid. When Wadhwani complains, the big boss asks Maya to cut it out and return the kid immediately. Maya quietly informs the boss that he has upped his demands and that he wants to reign supreme in Mumbai. The film also explores the personal lives of the protagonists. Khans wife Rohini [Neha Dhupia] is unable to bear his constant neglect of his family life. She files for divorce. Patils divorce is nearly upon him, too. In the enemy camp, Buwa has shacked up with a bar dancer Tanu [Aarti Chhabria] but is unable to spend any quality time with her. Fellow criminals Phatu [estranged from his parents] and RC [plagued by ghost-like visions of an innocent family he gunned down] have similar troubles. It all comes to a head in November 1991. The five criminals including Maya and Buwa secure themselves, while holding Wadhwanis kid, in a flat at Swati building in Lokhandwala. Khan is tipped off of the location by an informant. [In Dhingras questioning, Khan allegedly also received a call from the big boss in Dubai. Khan vehemently denies this.] Khan assembles a large squad of cops and lays siege to the location. He announces over the bullhorn that residents are advised to stay indoors and bolt their windows. A long and devastating gun battle begins. The criminals launch RPG [rocket propelled grenade] from their flat and try to escape. But they are overwhelmed by police fire and all five criminals are eventually slain. The battle lays waste to the entire building: film shots show the staircases, hallways and several civilian flats completely pulverized by gunfire. Reporter Meeta Matu covers the action live. Up to this point, Dhingra has been negative and denigrating of Khan and his efforts with the ATS. He cites press reports and civilian complaints that condemn Khan [and the ATS] of unilateral and unwarranted excessive force in a residential locality. Charges are brought against Khan and the ATS. But when Dhingra rises to defend them as their appointed counsel, he, in a surprising twist, presents an unconventional argument as defense. The film ends with Khan and the ATS being acquitted.

See also

*Maya Dolas *Dawood Ibrahim *Aftab Ahmed Khan

Soundtrack

The Soundtrack for Shooutout at Lokhandwala was released during April 2007 by T-Series. The track listing is as follows [Names in brackets are the corresponding track names only, in Hindi]: #Sunidhi Chauhan & Anand Raaj Anand - Mere Yaar #Strings - Aakhri Alvida #Mika & Anchal - Ganpat #Sukhwinder Singh, Mika & Anand Raj Anand - Unke Nashe Mein #Biddu - Live By The Gun #Dr.Palash Sen - Sone De Maa #Mika & Anchal - Ganpat Rap #Strings - Aakhri Alvida [Club Mix] ] ] #Sukhwinder Singh, Mika & Anand Raj Anand - Unke Nashe Mein [Club Mix] ]

Box office

Shootout at Lokhandwala got some hard reviews. However, as of 9 June 2007 it was the second highest opening of the year so far. The film was also released with another Bachchan starrer, Cheeni Kum. Both films have been declared Average, but after some time business of Shootout at Lokhandwala soared rapidly, and the film was declared as a big hit. In the mumbai circuit Shootout at Lokhandwala was a superhit.

Controversy

The film sparked many controversy regarding the "fictionalised" portral of the incident. Sikh groups complained about the wrongful portrayal of Sikhs as Extremists. This led to Sikh groups wanting the film banned and "bitterly" opposing the film.

Other

= "Won" AXN Action Award in a Negative Role-Vivek Oberoi "Won" AXN Action Awards in a Lead Role-Sanjay Dutt "Nomination" AXN Action Awards Best Film Director-Apoova Lakhia "Won" AXN Action Award Best Action Sequence "Won" AXN Action Award Dest Action Film

Filmfare awards

= "Nomination"Filmfare Best Villain Award-Vivek Oberoi

Zee cine awards

= "Nomination"Zee Cine Awards for Best Actor in a Negative Role-Vivek Oberoi "Won" Zee Cine Best Song Recording "Won" Zee Cine Award for Best Sound Design - Baylon Fonseca

Iifa awards

= "Won"IIFA Best Action Award-Javed Sheikh and Ejaz "Won" IIFA Best Villain Award-Vivek Oberoi

Star screen awards

= "Nomination"Star Screen for Best Villain-Vivek Oberoi "Nomination"Star Screen for Best Sound Design- Baylon Fonseca

Stardust awards

= "Nomination" Stardust Best Actor in a Negative Role-Vivek Oberoi "Won" Stardust Standout performance of the Year "Nomination" Stardust Best Music Diector[Mauja Mauja/Gupta]-Mika Singh "Nomination"Stardust Best Playback Singer-Mika Singh

Locations

A lot of scenes were shot on actual locations at Lokhandwala Complex in Mumbai. There was the chase sequence with Sunil Shetty and Arbaaz Khan [playing cops] through Lokhandwala. It would have been difficult to shoot this sequence with the public around. Hidden cameras were used at five places and the two actors ran 200 meters at the real location to can the scene.