Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Movie Review: Randeep Hooda knocks it out of the park in the year’s most powerfully essential cinema.

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Movie Review

The name Savarkar has constantly ignited passion and triggered debate since the Indian Independence struggle when he was active and even after his death the debate continues. The controversies surrounding his ideology and proximity to armed revolution was against the Mahatma Gandhi’s mantra of ahimsa (non-violence).   

The theory that Gandhiji’s ahimsa was the driving force behind India’s freedom is not cent percent true. Anyhow, people may have their opinion on the contribution of Congress leaders and non-Congress leaders in India’s Independence, but the truth is on the day India got its Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation in English and Jinnah addressed his nation in Urdu.

Coming back to the movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, there is a scene from the two hours fifty-eight-minute movie which remained in my mind for hours. It’s a scene between Mahatma Gandhi (Rajesh Khera) and Veer Savarkar (Randeep Hooda). Gandhi makes a visit to Savarkar and they debate on a resolution that gives Muslims extra power – their one vote will be equal to three Hindu votes. Gandhi defends this as a tool for empowerment of Muslims while Savarkar calls it appeasement and argues then why other minorities are left behind. Parsis, Anglo Indians etc are much lesser then Muslims why special treatment for Muslims only. The debate further gets into the caste divide and Gandhi’s term ‘harijan’ is also debated.  

Importantly, the scene shows the two leaders debating on ideologies without disrespecting each other. This is what lacking today in our society lack of respect for the opponent and personal attacks.

Interestingly, in 2001 a movie on Veer Savarkar was released on DVD format. Produced by Savarkar Darshan Prathisthan, reported to be the first movie in the world financed by public donations.

Produced by Sudhir Phadke and starring Shailendra Gaur as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the movie reportedly had a silver jubilee run at Mumbai’s Plaza cinema and Pune's Prabhat cinema.

But why this trivia? Well, some over enthusiastic people are claiming this movie to be the first on Veer Savarkar, just to make them and everyone aware.

Inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Lokmanya Tilak, the movie traces the journey of Savarkar along with the Indian freedom struggle right from Chapekar Brothers, to Madan Lal Dingra, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Subash Chandra Bose, The World Wars, India’s first freedom struggle – 1957, Churchill, King Charles, Bhikaiji Cama, the first Indian flag with ‘Vande Matram’ written in between, Savarkar’s famous escape right in the middle of the sea, the brutal, inhuman torture days in Kaala Pani, the assassination of Gandhi, the ‘Hindu’ ideology, the mercy petitions, everything is there.

It’s a huge task to cover so much in those three hours and Randeep Hooda in his debut as a director does it with great confidence. It’s more difficult to set a period drama and here the director gets it right and the movie looks like a classic.

Randeep Hooda knocks it out of the park not just by his brilliant award winning performance but in his directorial attempt, he gives the mike to Savarkar and throws focus on his life and sacrifices which are very less talked about.

Imagine a popular freedom fighter meeting his elder brother in the same Kaala Pani prison after nine years and this is not a fictional Bollywood action drama thriller.

Savarkar as against slavery and was brave, powerful, he firmly believed in 'Hindutva’ and ‘Akhanda Bharat’ was against partition in the name of religion.      prioritised country over religion, condemned casteism and inequality.

Randeep Hooda brings the much-needed dignity to Veer Savarkar. The story screenplay by Utkarsh Naithani along with Randeep Hooda makes sure that the journey is engaging and informative. Special mention for the dialogues is a must.

Performance

Randeep Hooda – as said earlier gives an award-winning performance.

Ankita Lokhande as Yamunabai Savarkar nails it with her simplicity and reality.

Amit Sial as Ganesh Damodar Savarkar is just brilliant.

Rajesh Khera as Mahatma Gandhi is outstanding

Lokesh Mittal as B. R. Ambedkar leave his mark

Brajesh Jha as Subhash Chandra Bose is impressive

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar – final words

Some cinema entertains, some enlighten, while a rare one becomes a movement, don’t go by the politics behind, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is an essential cinema for every Indian,