So it is Hrithik-time again. And how! Just his colored eyes showing with a killer's expression from a black monkey cap covering the rest of his face, tells you clearly that the guy is out on a tough mission.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's tough mission is Mission Kashmir. And as the name suggests, the film is built around the strife-ridden Kashmir. Though militancy is fast becoming a way of life in the Valley, the film still, very pertinently questions the need of violence that has been consistently disrupting peace, order and beauty of Kashmir.

Vinod brought his film to New Delhi for a special screening for the President of India. And insiders say that the first family liked it. After debacles like 1942: A Love Story and Kareeb, Vinod needs a hit to bring back his diluted glory and Mission Kashmir should be the right instrument for it.

That the film's release coincides with the release of Yash Chopra's Mohabbatein is not a dampener because Vinod has the mighty Hrithik to back him. Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy have done good work for the music of the film and Preity looks a perfect Kasmiri beauty providing romantic relief in the otherwise action-packed militant affair.

Mission Kashmir is the story of a Kashmiri boy who is witness to the wiping out of his entire family by a BSF officer. The boy develops a hatred for the BSF officer and wants to avenge the death of his family.

The boy grows up, gets himself adopted by the BSF officer and his wife and lives with them like their son. All the while clandestinely designing their murder. Not for a moment do the foster parents get to know of their adopted son's intentions.

The boy, now a handsome young man, trains himself under a dreaded terrorist and his gang and becomes a terrorist himself, all circumstantial. His beloved tries to dissuade him from going on the path of militancy, explains him the futility of wars but the memory of his murdered parents fail to subdue the burning embers within him.

The young Kashmiri man on war-path is played by Hrithik Roshan, his love is Preity Zinta. Sunjay Dutt and Sonali Kulkarni are Hrithik's foster parents. Jackie Shroff appears in a brilliant cameo as the terrorist whose group Hrithik joins.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra is famous for camera work and editing. With the backdrop of the original Valley, some beautiful and rugged faces, brilliant performances and good music, Mission Kashmir should be worth watching. Another interesting aspect of the film is that its script has been co-written by award-winning novelist Vikram Chandra for his brother-in-law Vidhu Vinod Chopra. So there's no reason why the audience should not be in the grip of such a narrative.