L.O.C. is based on a number of true stories from the Kargil war. What intrigues you is the way the Jawans fought the war, so that the nation could eat, live and sleep in peace. When they [Jawans] became heroes, it wasn't because they wanted to be one, it was because they were thinking of the motherland, India. The Jawans who freed India from the enemies were a bunch of ordinary mortals, who have been immortalised by J.P. Dutta in this flick.

Around April 1999, Pakistani infiltrators captured some Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army fought for over four months to reclaim the territory and lost around 450 soldiers in the ensuing battle. This is the story of the Kargil war. One that director JP Dutta ambitiously attempts to capture on celluloid.

With a massive cast like the one assembled in this film, it is rather difficult to pinpoint every actor and talk about their on-screen work. But, must add, after years of watching screen heroes go through an extended adolescence, it's a pleasure to encounter the same names act as grown-up men this time around.

While a number of stars share screen space, their characterisations are quite well sketched. Your heart goes out to Captain Anuj Nayyar (Saif Ali Khan) who leaves behind his love, played by Kareena Kapoor; Manoj Pandey (Ajay Devgan), who for his outer bravado is as emotional as the next guy, but won the Param Vir Chakra; Vikram Batra (Abhishek Bachchan), a daredevil soldier whose motto in life is 'Yeh dil maange more', who won the Param Vir Chakra; the brave Lt Balwant Singh (Akshaye Khanna), who was awarded the Mahaveer Chakra.

Major Deepak Rampal (Sanjay Kapoor) is on leave, but cuts it short when he hears about the trouble on the border and gets back to the frontline. Colonel YK Joshi (aka YK Joe, played by Sunjay Dutt), awarded the Vir Chakra bravely leads his men to victory. Other actors like Suniel Shetty (playing rifleman Sanjay Kumar), who held the barrels of the enemy's guns with their bare hands as they fired, live up to the real life heroes. Ashutosh Rana and Manoj Bajpai, both called Grend Yogendra Sing Yadav, share a camaraderie well enacted. Some of their on screen moments are worth looking out for.

The music rights of this movie were purchased at a lower value than the one agreed upon earlier, as the filmmaker included just 3 songs in the movie. This was to contain the length of the already long 4 hours 10 minutes movie.

Anu Malik's songs are achingly sweet, like a moaning melody heard during a dirge. The opening song Seemayen bulaye tujhe chal raahi picturised on the women, has the audience attuned to the patriotic theme of the movie. The other numbers, all penned by lyrics by Javed Akhtar are equally touching.

On the whole, L.O.C. is a powerful experience. Dutta's commendable venture (even coming five years after the Kargil war) will definitely ensure that we don't forget.