BOTTOM LINE
Passable Action Drama
OUR RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
‘U/A’ Certified, 2h 25m
What Is the Film About?
The story of Sooryavanshi is very simple with no complications. A terrorist organisation is planning multiple blasts in India. The Anti-Terrorist Squad has to stop them.
Veer Sooryavanshi(Akshay Kumar) heads ATS and is given the task of nabbing the criminals. How he goes about his way in doing so is the movie’s basic plot. The subplot involves Sooryavanshi’s relationship with his wife, and kid.
Performances
In his career spanning three decades, Akshay Kumar has had the opportunity to work in similar setups in the past. Although, not on this scale. He just breezes through the proceedings in his typical way. It is a clinical performance. Nothing stands out or makes the part special, but there is nothing that spoils the fun either. In fact, it is good to see the actor do some stunts and land kicks as only he can.
Analysis
Rohit Shetty handles Sooryavanshi. It is a part of his cop universe. Singham and Simmba are part of the same according to the director.
Keeping the universe in mind, Sooryavanshi can be seen as the origin story of the third hero. It shows how Sooryavanshi stands up to a challenge and succeeds against all odds.
The director takes time in establishing the ground at the start. It is on predictable lines but helps in creating an emotional background for what is about to happen next. More than the story, it is this drama that plays an important role.
The actual story begins with the nabbing of Hafeez. It is neatly done, but we have seen it all before. The rooftop chases, the jumps etc. are not new at all. Still, to watch it all on the big screen (instead of the small screen) is a thrilling experience, although not entirely in this case.
It is later revealed that a massive network of sleeper cells are waiting to carry out a terrorising activity. It makes one look forward to the proceedings ahead.
But, the narrative soon moves to the personal side. Not much time is wasted here, but it is a distraction nonetheless and doesn’t come across organically woven into the tale. There is a connection of this past to the present, but again, nothing is new. We have seen it all before.
Then, there is an attempt to infuse comedy into the proceedings. It is done via a running gag involving the hero. It is a mixed bag of sorts as it works in parts. The good thing is that it is blended into the story and not done separately.
The story also comprises a mix of action and drama. The lack of consistency in writing creates an imbalance as the narrative moves. A high moment is followed by a dull portion. The free flow and energy are missing from time to time. It is seen with the interval point which ends blandly.
The second half continues the same uneven momentum forward. Nothing surprising or exciting happens along with it. The result is a little boredom. It is ‘little’ because irrespective of the logiclessness the progress is smooth.
It all leads to a great bang at the end. It’s good, no doubt, but the lack of surprise hurts. A part of the highlight is already shown in the promotion itself. It would have been better if one saw them directly onscreen.
The ending is lengthy but satisfying. It is due to the presence of the stars. Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh coming together to fight goons is a sight to behold on the big screen.
We also have the issue of religious politics and its presentation in the movie. The Hindu-Muslim, ‘the right Indian Muslim’ angle is key to the proceedings, and the director tries his best to balance both sides. These are serious topics that deserve sensitive handling. Rohit Shetty’s generic sweeping arc involving them is ought to generate some heat depending on which side one finds themselves in.
Overall, Sooryavanshi offers nothing new story-wise. The star presence and big screen experience make it a passable viewing. Give it a try if you want to watch something on the big screen and don’t mind the predictability.
Katrina Kaif & Others?
Katrina Kaif playing the female lead is alright. There is not much given to her related to the main plot. She is good at songs, especially the ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’ remix.
Abhimanyu Singh and Gulshan Grover are seen playing negative roles. There are good with a lot of intensity on display. But, the problem is the cliched characters, they play. Jackie Shroff in a small role is adequate whereas Javed Jaaferi is alright.
There is a whole set of actors as part of the story. The screen is filled with many faces throughout. However, care is taken to not make the whole thing chaotic. Each individual gets screen time depending on importance.
Music and Other Departments?
The multi composer soundtrack is weak. The much-hyped remix could have been better. The background score by S Thaman and Amar Mohile is in tune with the loudness of the film. The cinematography of Jomon T John is good. The editing could have been better. Many parts deserve trimming. The writing is strictly par for course.
Highlights?
Casting
Action
Big Screen Appeal
Climax
Drawbacks?
Routine Story
No Surprises
Uneven Narrative
Alternative Take
Adding some twists to the narrative or one big twist in the tale would have made the proceedings exciting.
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, in Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations
Sooryavanshi Hindi Movie Review by Siddartha Toleti
