Zaara Sodhi, Mumbai
Director – Vishnuvardhan
Writer- Sandeep Srivastava
The name Captain Vikram Batra is not an unfamiliar one. In fact, he skyrocketed to fame and became a household name during the 1999 Kargil War. His legacy can never be forgotten. So, it didn’t really come as a surprise when Bollywood wanted to make a biopic on him. The real question was if they would be able to do him and his extraordinary life justice. Over the years, Bollywood has been guilty of misrepresenting the defence forces and because of that many people were not confident if they would do a good job representing Captain Batra’s life story.
When the highly anticipated film was released in August, it took many by surprise as it depicted the army with an accuracy unlike done in the past. Adding to Captain Batra’s biopic, the movie immortalised the love story between him and his girlfriend Dimple Cheema on the silver screen. Their onscreen romance was not a Bollywood cliché in comparison to the over-hyped stereotypical love stories we have come to see in the past. Sidharth Malhotra proved to us with this movie that he is more than just India’s heartthrob by managing to play both roles of the Batra brothers with equal aplomb. When he says, “Tiranga lehara ke aaunga ya toh usme lipat kar aaunga par aaunga zaroor” it makes our hearts swell with pride. Kiara Advani may not have had much screen presence but she won our hearts with her exceptional acting as Dimple Cheema. She pertinently mentioned that Dimple is an unsung hero, from standing her ground and facing multiple hurdles in her personal life to staying true to the adage “Till death do us part’’.
The cherry on top was the phenomenal acting by the supporting cast which beautifully complemented the acting of the main cast. The aptly cast Shiv Panditt who plays the role of Captain Sanjeev Jamwal and Nikitin Dheer who portrays the ever jovial and light-hearted Major Ajay Jastoria make a team that will get you all rooting for them.
Although the movie is quite realistic, a small flaw I couldn’t help but notice was that the character of Vikram Batra is shown to be extremely chummy with his seniors and this doesn’t really gel with the hierarchical order of the army. Furthermore, the movie’s melodious playlist has restored our belief in Bollywood music. The playlist is surprisingly refreshing compared to the disappointing remixes of iconic songs of the yesteryears. In addition, the cinematography was exceptionally realistic and made you feel as if you were experiencing the incident with them. If you plan on watching this movie anytime soon, I’d suggest you keep a box of tissues handy.
Karan Johar aptly said that Shershaah is not a movie, it’s an emotion. The movie brings to life the story of the heroic army officer who sacrificed his life while leading one of the most strenuous warfare operations in Indian military history for which he was rewarded with India’s highest award for valour, the Param Vir Chakra. His life is an ordinary one lived extraordinarily. His words “Yeh Dil Maange More’’ still motivate today’s generation by instilling traits like ambition, tenacity and a go-getter attitude.
As a fauji brat, I wasn’t exactly enthusiastic to watch another movie that was going to misinterpret the Indian defence forces, but with the raving reviews, I decided to see for myself what the hype was all about. A scene that touched my heart was the funeral scene. Kiara’s performance is the essence of this scene as Dimple’s angst and heartache can be felt through her exemplary acting. This movie makes us realize the sacrifices the armed forces make for our country. A salute to them. Also, kudos to the cast and crew for bringing the story of Captain Vikram Batra to life. Overall, I’d say this movie is a must-watch!
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