The reason for my 5-month long hiatus
from reviewing films is a concoction of 5% adjusting to new life changes, 10%
laziness and 85% declining quality of hindi films. I thought this period would
get extended by many more months after I watched Shiddat last week - an
atrocious, mind numbing film whose story was probably picked up straight out of
the trash can of a writer in the 80’s. Nevertheless, I was still sanguine about
Sardar Udham because of the rich portfolio of the makers associated with it.
The good news is that not only did the film surpass my expectations, it also
can claim to be one of the best biopics ever made in the country. While one
Kaushal brother tried to save the dignity of one film (Sunny Kaushal’s performance
was the only redeeming quality of Shiddat), the other (Vicky Kaushal) has saved
the dignity of the entire industry. Well done boys!
Just a few minutes into Sardar Udham, it
becomes quite evident that the filmmaking on display is first rate. Director
Shoojit Sircar, who helmed some of the best films of the previous decade
(except Gulabo Sitabo, every film of his is a gem), wastes no time in feeding
us with backstories, gratuitous caricatures and/or unsolicited joingoism, all
of which have at some point or the other plagued so many other films of this
genre in the past. Here, he chooses to tell a rather complex story in an
honest, unadulterated fashion which keeps us invested in the plot and the
characters throughout even during some unconvincing bits, especially in the
middle portions of this justifiably long film. Sircar strikes real gold not
when he is following the dense plotting to assassinate the perpetrator of the
globally infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre, but instead when he taps into the emotional
energy of the characters by giving us a tour into their heads to see what
drives them and what leads them to do what they do. As a result, the film is
more of a stripped down character study with a deliberately meditative pace
that allows us to meet Udham Singh in person. In fact, without giving away too
much, I must say that the last one hour or so of the film is so masterfully
directed and exquisitely shot that I wish you good luck in holding back your
tears. A huge shout out also co-writers Ritesh Shah and Shubhendu Bhattacharya
who weave together plenty of tense moments in a well researched but shrewd
screenplay despite minimum available information on this part of our history.
It is a well known fact that the central
role was originally meant to be essayed by Irrfan Khan. While there is no doubt
about the additional depth he would have brought to the character, Vicky
Kaushal handsomely rises to the occassion and delivers a performance that would
be remembered for years to come. He oozes a natural charm and inherent
believability that helps establish an instant connection with his character.
I am going with a solid 4/5 and two big thumb up for for Sardar Udham. The British government has yet to offer an official apology for all the deaths in the 1919 tragedy. Meanwhile, the Indian filmmakers who resort to repetitive stories and lazy remakes also ought to apologize for their actions and take lessons from this film. Despite his varied filmography and story landscapes, the only repetition which Shoojit Sircar can be accused of is melting our hearts each time with his keenly observed and sure-footed direction. And I forgive him for that :D. Do yourself a favour and watch the film right away!
