Another of this year's Independence Day releases, and it has bitten the dust too. However, I've heard some good reviews, but watching it I have certain reservations.
Set in a patriarchal society plagued by casteism, untouchability, and honor killings, a Dalit girl must survive the so-called saviors of society. A court-martialed army officer finds himself in a situation where he must save her.
The story appears to be drawn from real-life situations, where people are still killed in the name of caste. It's a sad reality, of course. But as a movie, the pacing is flat, and you can predict everything beforehand. A story like this should be emotionally draining, but that doesn't happen here. The whole escape or "running away" sequence could have been made more interesting by showing some planning, plotting, or a cat-and-mouse game that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, director Nikkhil Advani missed the bus on that front.
John Abraham feels well-suited for such a role and does fine in his no-nonsense action hero avatar. Sharvari Wagh shows a lot of potential and portrays a complex character with much-needed grace and panache. The standout performance, however, is by Abhishek Banerjee, who is a welcome surprise in a negative role. He has truly nailed his part.
The songs are average, and even Mouni Roy's item number is a dud. The action sequences are decent but nothing extraordinary. The village setting and the overall backdrop of the narrative are well done and make the story feel believable. The climax kills the experience with its over the top execution with unnecessary dialogue baazi and cinematic liberalities.
If more effort had been put into the script to make it more thrilling, this same story could have reached greater heights. It's an average movie with decent performances, worth watching for the subject it addresses.
#pranureviews #Vedaa #VedaaReview
Streaming on ZEE5.
