Sardar Udham movie review: Profoundly moving & diligently crafted salute

Sardar Udham movie synopsis

Sardar Udham, is a story of Sardar Udham Singh (Vicky Kaushal), a gallant and patriotic man who fought selflessly and courageously against the British subjugation of India. The film focuses on the undeterred mission of Sardar Udham to avenge the lives of people who were brutally killed in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919.

Sardar Udham movie review

It would be a discredit to label Shoojit Sarkar’s Sardar Udham as just a patriotic movie; Sardar Udham is not just a powerful reminder to all of us who have forgotten the valour of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru – the true warriors of freedom struggle. Sardar Udham is a diligently crafted, powerful, profoundly moving, compelling cinema churned without a whiff of OTT melodrama.

Sardar Udham is a steady, unflinching tribute by a follower to his master/guru – Bhagat Singh.

 Shoojit Sircar’s most powerful after Madras Cafe and cleverly not political arguably makes it one of his most relevant movies in recent times. Just like Madras Cafe (one of the authors favourite), Sardar Udham reaches that dramatic heights and is pitch perfect in depiction of era and the environment.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in a way is a holocaust – an inhuman cowardly act of evil the plight/aghast of the mentor Bhagat Singh and his ardent follower Sardar Udham. But Shoojit makes sure that the movie doesn’t cashes on sensationalisms, it’s an experience of Sardar Udham what he saw and what happened to him and the people of Amritsar and India. Sardar Udham survived because he was late that day but it became his and his nations darkest past which unfortunately is not much talked about internationally.

The writing by Shubhendu Bhattacharya and Ritesh Shah flows smoothly making the audience involved and gradually makes them feel the pain and aghast by maintaining a proper balance. The best part is there is no chest beating jingoism, the respect for India comes naturally.

Vicky Kaushal’s performance in Sardar Udham

Those who still doubt about Vicky Kushal’s terrific range as an actor, Sardar Udham will reestablish the fact that he is certainly one of the finest no fuss actor we have. It will be a surprise if Vicky Kaushal doesn,t gets nominated for top awards in the best actor category for his sheer brilliance in Sardar Udham.

Other actors performance in Sardar Udham

Stephen Hogan as Detective John Swain is fantastic

Andrew Havill as General Reginald Dyer is perfect

Amol Parashar as Shaheed Bhagat Singh is fabulous

Banita Sandhu as Reshma leaves her mark

Good support comes from Kirsty Averton as Eileen and Shaun Scott as Michael O'dwyer

Technicalities

Special mention for Dmitriy Malich’s production design and Pradip Jadhav’s art direction is a must while the camera of Avik Mukhopadhyay is another character.

Flaws in the movie Sardar Udham

The movie may refresh the pain and wounds to those whose families have suffered due to the inhuman madness of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Sardar Udham takes its time.

Any memorable scene/dialogue moment in the movie Sardar Udham

Disturbing but that particular marathon sequence is a testimony of the brilliance of Shoojit Sarkar as a filmmaker and Vicky Kaushal as an actor – When Vicky Kaushal sees piles of dead bodies and searches for those who were alive and takes them to a hospital nearby in a hand driven cart. He repeats this till he faints. And the last 10 minutes which I will not reveal.

Bottom Line

Sardar Udham is a great film of integrity and unforgettable power that leaves you breathless with gratitude. The movie sees Shoojit Sarkar and Vicky Kaushal in their complete element here. Sardar Udham has that incredible power to break your heart at multiple times and it’s actually good.