Flawed but brave film on Dalit rights – Firstpost

Language: Hindi

Director: Nikkhil Advani

Pour: John Abraham, Sharvari and Abhishek Banerjee

Vedaawhen violence overshadows social problems, all you see is chaos. The idea of ​​Nikkhil Advani’s film, which was inspired by a true event, is brilliant. Somehow I feel that it could have been done well. No doubt, Vedaa was gripping and we certainly needed someone to speak loudly and clearly and make us aware of the rights of Dalits and their struggle for equality. But any social messages were overshadowed by the action scenes.

Nikkhil Advani’s film has well addressed the struggles of the Dalit community. Cinema is the most popular medium to sensitise the masses. Vedaa could have been more effective. John Abraham’s performance was obviously predictable, flexing his muscles and doing action moves that he does well. But the star performances come from Sharvari and Abhishek Banerjee.

At the same time, Abraham has to try something new. The first half of the film was good and we thought that the film would show more in the second half, but all the good intentions were overshadowed by excessive violence. Based on true events, Vedas attempted to portray the atrocities in the cowbelt area of ​​Rajasthan where inter-caste marriage is considered a crime. However, this social theme was diluted by the film’s flawed execution. The power play, caste system and lawless village atmosphere that plagues our society could have been portrayed better.

Sharvari Wagh is the young actress to watch out for. She has literally made it with her brilliant performances. Sharvari’s heartfelt portrayal of
Vedaathe brave young Dalit woman in a small town in Rajasthan. Her life is heartbreaking and she just wishes that Dalits have the right to breathe freely. And why not? Isn’t that also written in the Indian constitution of our ancestors, this young girl asks herself.

The error with Vedaa was that by depicting excessive violence, the rights of Dalits were completely lost. Sharvari plays the role of the Dalit girl perfectly and shows how helpless she is and yet she wants to break free. Abhishek Banerjee’s performance is amazing, he plays the role of a villain who you can’t get rid of. But despite these flaws, Nikkhil Advani has at least tried to talk about the rights of Dalits, which most filmmakers don’t like to address.

I must say again, Vedaa is not just a typical action drama. Admittedly, the plot has flaws but one cannot deny that it is intense and immensely gripping. But it is time for John Abraham to reinvent himself and try a different genre of film. The film will really make you question from the bottom of your heart how independent we are. Definitely a must watch but you will leave the cinema hall with a heavy heart.

Rating: 3 out of 5

WATCH the trailer for Vedaa here: