Shershaah Review – Who do you want the role model of your child be from India of nineties – Raj from DDLJ or Vikram Batra in Shershah?
#TRNMovieReview
By Rakesh Roshan Bhat
It is always a dilemma for any movie reviewer, whether to evaluate a movie very dispassionately only on the different parameters and tenets of filmmaking or in the overall context of its subject, impact and popular culture beliefs. Even the director is faced with the same predicament while making a movie.
Shershaah movie has got opposing reactions, mostly masses have loved it but many have also completely panned it. They also ridicule the people who like it for their low intellect and poor taste of cinema.
However, this reviewer believes that a movie like Shershaah cannot be seen in isolation through only the lens of puritanical tenets of filmmaking. This is not just another fictional war movie. It is also not just another biopic. It is a biopic of a brave martyr who became the hero of the Kargil war, one of the greatest and toughest infantry wars fought after world war 2.
Probably anyone who lived during the Kargil war would be aware of the modern definition that Capt Batra gave to the expression of bravery and never die attitude – ‘ye dil mange more’. However, heroes are not made in a day and hence Vikram Batra’s journey from a normal child in Palampur to a fearless soldier was always a curious topic to explore. In one scene his commanding officer also is taken by surprise after he gets to know that Batra does not belong to an army family. To which Batra replies, ‘A school teachers’ son can also be a brave soldier. A soldier can take birth anywhere’. His very first posting in Kashmir valley and taking part in some daredevil operations cemented in him a belief that an officer has to lead from the front. And that is what he did in every operation. Even after he was asked to take rest after he and his company captured point 5140, he refused to go home, although he was recovering from injuries suffered during capture of point 5140 in hand to hand combat with 3 intruders all of whom he killed. He was also down with high fever but he volunteered to be with his men for the capture of point 4875.
Sadly, it took Bollywood more than two decades to come up with this biopic when there are multiple biopics churned out every year. Capt. Vikram Batra moved the conscience of the whole nation with his supreme sacrifice and his extraordinary life deserved to be told on big screen a long time ago. Nevertheless, Shershah, albeit late, has done justice as a biopic.
The production design and the scale of the movie demanded backing by a production house which would not cut corners and producers have delivered on that count. They seem to have won half the battle with appropriate casting. Siddharth Malhotra looks every bit Vikram Batra at least in the perception that a viewer has made of Batra in the mind. The action sequences are brilliantly shot without any jerky camera angles. The pace and tension in action sequences is on the dot. Kiara Advani is decent. Shiv Pandit also holds good in his part. Shataf Fiagar as Lt. Col. Joshi excels. It is heartening to see Mir Sarwar deliver yet another impressive performance. He is the face of talent from Jammu and Kashmir in Bollywood. He lends authenticity to the character of Haider with ease. The movie also has its share of issues though. The screenplay could have been crisper and could have accommodated few more important pieces of Batras life which would have added more depth to his character. Editing also is loose at times. Vishnuvardhan has made a rocking debut in Bollywood with Shershaah.
But as this reviewer mentioned at the start of this piece. Movies like Shershaah don’t fit any template of a review. They are beyond those templates and even judgements. They are the portrayal of the collective emotions of a nation. The representation of what ideals a nation aspires for and stands for! Shershaah is a movie to be watched with kids. Reintroduce (or may be introduce) them to the ideals of commitment, passion and selfless leadership. The present youth which is falling prey to make believe world of short videos and the counts of likes and shares on Instagram need to know that youth like Captain Batra are for real and walked this earth just a couple of decades back.
Who do you want the role model of your child be from India of nineties – Raj from DDLJ or Vikram Batra in Shershaah? Interestingly Karan Johar is associated with both.
(Reviewer is a Playwright, Film maker and Director Jammu Film Festival)
