"Revolution is an inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is an imperishable birthright of all" - Bhagat Singh
Wow! What an incredible piece of Cinema I have just been a witness of! I'm truly captivated by Sircar's direction and the way he addressed such a heroic act of patriotism. And I can't convey enough appreciation for representing such a fairly unknown story of the Martyr, Udham Singh; who against all the odds made the impossible. He shook the British empire to its core and sent out a decisive statement against their heinous colonialism.
From a technical stance alone, I must admit, this was something very special! I had never seen a historical drama on such an enormous scale before. From the detailed set designs to the astounding Cinematography, the commendable art direction to the world-building; it has every right to be considered as a landmark in Indian filmography. Trust me, supervising any sets with that many people and intricacies; it's easier said than done. And this gets even more fascinating when you consider the restricted expenditures!
Likewise, the performances leave quite an impression. Amongst the entire cast, Vicky Kaushal's act indisputably draws our attention the most. Particularly, towards the end. Where, in my opinion; he gives his absolute best. Speaking of the rest of the ensemble, I was amazed to observe such a capable group of foreign nationals playing their roles with utmost affection and integrity!
My only criticisms are in regards to the comparatively long-winded screenplay and its Non-linear structure. Don't get me wrong, I'm all up for Non-linear storytelling, but I'm not sure whether it was an absolute necessity in this case.
Even though I gotta say, that whole Jallianwala Bagh massacre sequence is no less than a cinematic brilliance. No matter, how tough you deem yourself to be, remember the words; it's gonna break your heart. If it was up to me, I would have probably inaugurated the film with this portion rather than placing it near the climax. That way, I guess the impact would have been far greater.
Lastly, I just wanna thank all the people who have contributed to such an ambitious endeavour and I wanna give my regards to Mr Shoojit Sircar as he's done plentiful to denote the atrocities of British Imperialism. Innumerable manslaughters, abscondings, tortures; the British without any question, shares a dark & sinful past with our country and its people.
My heartiest admiration goes to all the martyrs and their families who sacrificed everything just to break the shackles and to get our much-awaited Sovereignty & Freedom. And most importantly they did all that while being unified, irrespective of class, religion or Identity.
Today's generation should learn a thing or two!
