Movie Review: Sardar Udham

In this series, we at Suggest Nest do a review each week of the latest movie/tv show/ music album/ book. We try to make the review as honest and raw as possible without giving away any suspense and also keeping it as brief as possible. 

Type: Biography, History
Release Year: 2021
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Amol Parashar
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Duration: 2 hrs 42 mins
Where to Watch: Prime video

Synopsis

This movie is based on the life of Shaheed Sardar Udham Singh. It poignantly follows his untold story and hardship in order to take revenge for the tragic incident of Jallianwala Bagh. Udham, like a revolutionary guard, picks on the main suspect and plots an act of bloody revenge. The movie is a detailed ode of the 20 years that took this man with unflinching courage to become registered in history books. A must-watch for each and every Indian.

Highlights

The movie starts with Sardar Udham entering London in what is a closely plotted plan to take revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. However, the story often shifts focus from one timeline to the other. The latter was the Governor-General of Punjab in 1919. It was the inhumane Michael O’Dwyer who gave the deliberate orders to violently curb the peaceful gathering in Amritsar's Jallianwala Bagh.

However, everything gets personal when Udham Singh arrives at the Jallianwala Bagh hours after the massacre. The daunting look of the Bagh infuriates him with hundreds of dead lying in the blood pool. He also witnesses his love of life murdered there.

That is when he decides to join hands with Bhagat Singh and the Socialist Party and his aim shifts to revenge against the person responsible for it. Sardar Udham reaches London to assassinate him. There he gets help from various fighters from the Indian community. The Indian revolutionary fighter gets close to O’Dwyer after working for him. The whole story then revolves around the assassination and Udham's imminent arrest by the British Police and his persecution at the hands of British imperialist forces.

Positives

Shoojit Sircar takes the element of cinematography to a whole another level in this movie. Though most of his movies have a high bar of cinematography but the Sardar Udham movie takes a big leap forward with fantastic levels of cinematography.

Vicky Kaushal is the ultimate highlight of this beautiful movie. Though it was late Irrfan Khan who was supposed to do this movie but his demise changed the plans. Vicky Kaushal has proven his worth in the movie. Even Amol Parashar has brought in the perfect amount of energy in the character of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

The highlight of this movie is the conversation between Sardar Udham and Michael O’Dwyer. The frustration inside him is perfectly encapsulated in the scene and represents every Indians emotion regarding the unfortunate incident of Jallianwala Bagh.

Moreover, the brightest part yet dark is the uncut storytelling regarding the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Movies in the past have not given enough time to highlight the whole massacre but Sardar Udham does.

Negatives

The Sardar Udham movie has a running time of 164 minutes. Though the movie is perfect in many ways this movie could have done better if it was under the duration of 140 mins or so. Sometimes the movie feels stretched and certain scenes could have been more engaging for the audience.

Conclusion

This movie is a perfect ode to the unsung hero named Udham Singh. The movie is perfect in many ways and the daunting story deserves the eyes and ears of each and every Indian.

Ratings - 4/5

BY Akash Vaishnav (Suggest Nest)