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By Taran Adarsh, October 5, 2007 - 14:00 IST
It's all about TRPs. To hell with ethics, principles, morals and scruples. The competition amongst TV channels is so fierce across the globe that what eventually matters is laying your hands on any story that attracts eyeballs and which, in turn, translates into ratings.
In an effort to outdo each other, TV channels have started resorting to gimmicks and sensationalism. Scandals, gossip, controversies, brawls, kickbacks… get priority over noble issues. IT'S BREAKING NEWS bares all that goes behind sting operations and the ways and means some channel heads stoop to, to attract eyeballs.
IT'S BREAKING NEWS says it all in the most simplistic fashion, without using the technical jargon, and coupled with an engrossing story, catches the attention of the viewer. But there's a flip side as well. Frankly, a subject like this isn't everyone's cup of tea. It caters to a small segment of moviegoers who savour realistic cinema.
Also -- this is strictly from the business point of view -- there's not much awareness about the film and the fact that it's pitted against multiple releases and timed during the holy month of Ramzan, the effort might unnoticed.
Vidya [Koel Purie] is a dynamic news correspondent who is forced to quit entertainment and cover crime. Gradually, she gets a knack of it and starts getting addicted to the thrill and ecstasy of the job. One fine day, she receives a call from a girl called Sangeeta, from Pune, who is a victim of repeated sexual abuses by a top cop [Harsh Chhaya].
Vidya, with her team, chalks out a plan for a sting operation and is all ready to cover the event, but, unfortunately, it is the DIG [Vinay Apte], who falls prey to their sting operation. The entire episode of 'live rape' trouble Vidya and her cameraman Rafiq [Atul Parchure].
Vidya had committed to Sangeeta that this footage would not be telecast, but she is traumatized to see the telecast of the whole footage 'as it is' in her news channel. Bugged with the whole system, she leaves for her uncle's place [Virendra Saxena], who had been insisting her to visit his press.
There, she apprehends the genuine power and nuance of journalism and gets the spur to fight back the system. With close friend Bala [Abhimanyu Singh], a crime correspondent in a rival channel, and Rafiq, she decides to get the victim justice.
IT'S BREAKING NEWS mirrors the behind-the-scenes tamasha that takes place before a scandal is unleashed to the viewers. The first sting operation [a minister's daughter is kept under house arrest] looks amateurish, but the second sting operation -- of a helpless girl being used by cops -- is brilliantly executed.
While the first hour is involving and rarely loses the grip, the second hour is problematic. The story takes a long time to reach the conclusion, although the helpless girl's 'settlement' is an interesting development. But the story doesn't end there; there's one more sting operation, which, though well executed, adds to the length of the film.
Director Vishal Inamdar has the potential to grow as a storyteller, but he should keep the length of his story in check. There's just one song in the narrative [Kaushal Inamdar], which is okay. The background score is appropriate. Cinematography is of standard.
Koel Purie is efficient yet again. Abhimanyu Singh is decent. Vinay Apte looks convincing. Atul Parchure is in form. Harsh Chhaya shows his evil side with flourish. Virendra Saxena is alright. The actress enacting the role of the victim is effective.
On the whole, IT'S BREAKING NEWS has noble intentions, but the release period isn't right. Multiple releases in the week + lack of pre-release buzz + Ramzan period will curtail its prospects.
  
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