What is the story of the film?
The story begins with scenes from the late 18th century. Plague epidemic is widespread in the country. People are dying. The country is stuck in the chains of slavery. Meanwhile, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is born in a small village in Maharashtra. Randeep Hooda has played the character of Savarkar. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has an anger against the British since childhood. They want to drive away the British from their country. For this they also form an organization named Abhinav Bharat.
Savarkar always believed that the British could not be defeated by non-violence. For this he also calls upon the people to take up arms. To take on the British, Savarkar goes to his own country, London. From there they continue their revolution. There some of his associates kill British officers. Then Savarkar is accused of conspiracy. They are sent to India illegally and sentenced to Kalapani. During the punishment of Kalapani, he is given unbearable pain.
After spending several years in jail, Savarkar files several mercy petitions one after the other. However, there is a well thought out strategy behind these petitions also. Savarkar says that it is better to go out and do something for the country than to die in jail. After being released from jail, he comes in contact with Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi. After this, Savarkar fights his battle until the country gets independence.
How is the acting of the star cast?
Only Randeep Hooda will be seen in the entire film. Looking at Randeep it seems that hardly anyone could have been cast better than him in the role of Savarkar. It felt as if we were seeing Savarkar on screen. Randeep Hooda has done extraordinary acting in the Kaala Paani sequence. The hard work he has put in for this role is clearly visible on screen.
Amit Sial in the role of Savarkar’s brother and Ankita Lokhande in the role of his wife have impressed. Apart from this, the casting could have been a little better, like a better actor could have been taken for the role of Gandhiji. The actor playing the character of Dr. Ambedkar also did not look good.
How is the direction?
The director, producer and writer of this film is Randeep Hooda. There is no hesitation in saying that he has done an amazing job in his first directorial film. The 19th century sequences look absolutely real. The jail sequences will leave you shivering. The story moves a little slowly in the first half, but picks up pace in the second half.
The one liners and dialogues of the film will make you clap. The dialogues between Mahatma Gandhi and Savarkar are quite funny. Amazing ideological differences have been shown between the two. There are some scenes which can make you emotional.
Cinematography also deserves praise. Cinematographer Arvind Krishna has tried to show very well what India would have been like before independence. The color tone of the film has been kept dark.
Randeep Hooda has also visited the Cellular Jail of Andaman and Nicobar, where Veer Savarkar had spent nearly 10 years in Kalapani.
How is the music of the film?
As per the topic of the film, the songs have also been kept accordingly. If you are thinking that there will be some peppy patriotic songs in the film, then it is not so. There is a song at the end of the film which is a little different and has Marathi flavour.
Final Verdict, watch or not?
There have been many freedom fighters in India, about whom still little is known. Veer Savarkar’s name was always discussed, but the general public did not know much about him. Through this film you will get a chance to know everything about him. Everyone should know about the pain and suffering he endured for the independence of the country.
If you want to know the sacrifice and dedication of Savarkar, then you can definitely go for this film. There is an election atmosphere in the country, there are many such dialogues in this film, which may upset many political parties, hence some people may also consider it a propaganda film.