I might be being too harsh on the kids, but the movie just dint do anything for me. It had a good storyline, gripping script and decent direction, but i guess the 'kids' were trying too hard to be 'grown up actors' Thats where the movie lost its innocence for me. Its another 'could have been' but 'couldnt' movie.
First start with the positives. Its has a very strong plot, which talks about a kid who accidentally finds a gun and ends up in the struggle between politicians, terrorists, spiritual leaders and the army. Nowhere in the movie i found it to be preaching about anything. It talks about terror from a kid's perspective (just that the kid seems to perform like a grown up). A couple of twists are indeed very surprising and when ever you feel a bit bored, the twist just retains you on your seat.
Technically, the camera work is pretty neat but i guess credit goes to kashmir's locales rather than the cinematographer himself. Direction is pretty solid too since he takes out pretty okay work from (non)actors like madhavan, sanjay suri etc. But I had the problem with the backgrouns score, It is too 'cute' for a terrorism based movie. It is not as dark as it could have (or rather should have) been. May be the usage of softer instruments (i dont know the names but they have a very 'stringy' and kashmiri feel to them) took away the effect. Serious scenes mein bhi soft type background.. Feel chali jati thi.
Performancewise, There is a cameo by one of the actors who plays a terrorist in the first half was the only performance that impressed me. That too, coz of his FAB kashmiri accent (may be he actually is a kashmiri). FAB.. Just FAB.. As already said earlier, The kids (Parzaan and Ayesha) both try to act like grown ups. The effect of being 'kid-stars' is very obvious in their performance. They seem to be 'acting' and not portraying 'characters'. (I know i am being too harsh on the kids but being honest in my opinion). Thats where the movie lost its charm for me. Had their been not known kids, i am sure it could have been a damn neat movie.
Overall : An Okayish watch if you dont have anything else to do. (Afterthought: Less than okayish watch actually)
Feel-O-Meter: 5/10