A lone terrorist has planted bombs at different locations in Mumbai, and threatens to blow them up unless certain terrorists are freed. Is he bluffing? No. Can he be caught? Not likely, given that he is super smart. The Mumbai police commissioner receives information about a bomb supposedly planted in a police station opposite the police headquarters. When the bomb threat turns out to be true, the police have to take the caller seriously. He has demands, and won't negotiate, nor be placated, nor agree to any delays.
It has no songs. The pace never slacks. Editing is tight. The plot does not get sidetracked into parallel lines. The acting is superb. The dialogs are not cliched, nor preachy.
Given the terrorist strikes of 26/11 that took place several months after its release, the movie seems prophetic.
Watch it for the acting prowess of Naseeruddin Shah and Anupan Kher. Shah for most of the movie, sits behind a desk on the roof of an under construction building, speaking on the phone. So he has to use his facial expressions and voice to act. Yet it is a performance that would be beyond the capabilities of all but less than a handful of actors today. Anupam Kher is effortless in his performance. Jimmy Shergil and others are competent too.