Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Review: Randeep Hooda Bites Off More Than He Can Chew In Directorial Debut

Just like most or genres, biopics too - with how dime a dozen y have become - have developed a blueprint of sorts. With a near three-hour long run time, Randeep Hooda, in and as Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, manages to effectively le as face of film, while attempting to here to this blueprint. He, however, significantly struggles when it comes to executing his vision as director.

Hot Take

Randeep Hooda has a firm grip over his craft. He, however, has h a history of picking much-too convoluted scripts which fail to do justice to his credibility as an actor - Main Aur Charles (2015) and Sarbjit (2016) being prime examples of this. Swatantrya Veer Savarakar, Hooda's third attempt at a biopic, significantly suffers owing to his inexperience as a director.

Does Swatantrya Veer Savarkar live up to hype?

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is Randeep Hooda's magnum opus. However, taking over reigns as a director for first time has done a great disservice to actor's vision for same. film delivers on claim of tracing Hindu nationalist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's life in its entirety, sometimes almost too intricately.

long drawn out narrative and muddled storytelling, however, diminish overall impact.

Facts outweigh feelings

A historical biopic must carry facts and Randeep Hooda makes sure of that with Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. However, particulars of what to include and what to discard is where a director's experience in gauging audience perception comes into play. Hooda is understandably new at this and thus significantly falters. In an attempt to stay true to Savarkar's life's struggles, newly turned director tries to pack smallest of details in, something which automatically les to a wandering mind on part of audience.

film's segment on Savarkar's captivity in Kaala Paani for instance, could have very well been me into a separate film. segment is raw and makes its point in first and last five minutes. Yet, Hooda choses to accord much of film's second half to it, unnecessarily stretching out run time as well as audience's patience.

Randeep Hooda shows promise as a director

Even amid chaos and scene packs that make up much of Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, Hooda's raw potential as a director manages to raise its he every now and n. Savarakar detailing difference between 'sabhayta' (civilisation) and 'sanskriti' (culture), his first meeting with Gandhi, his attempt at seeking political asylum with French by swimming across ocean, or for that reason, showcasing defiant yet dedicated sacrifice of Man Lal Dhingra (exceptionally essayed by Mrinal Dutt) - all se and a few more instances come through as rar tastefully crafted.

biggest mistake on Hooda's part n, is not a lack of talent but taking up too much too soon in his directorial journey.

peace versus arms debate makes for a massive undercurrent

last thirty minutes of film make an honest attempt to resolve shuffle between chaos and lull which characterises first two-and-a-half hours. Crips cuts interlaced with archival footage effectively explain tussle between Gandhi's non-violence, Jinnah's quest for Pakistan, Nehru's pacifism and Savarkar's (unachieved) vision of an 'Akhand Bhaarat'.

In struggle for India's independence, every little effort, no matter on which end of spectrum has h a butterfly effect in final result. final segment of film reminds viewers how an 'ahinsak' Gandhi was assassinated at gun point, while always-armed Savarkar bread his last at end of a relay fast. Perhaps film's biggest point stands captured in one of Savarkar's exchanges with his Kaala Paani jailer David Barry: "One man's terrorist is anor man's revolutionary."

Watch it or skip it?

Narrative building and social messaging are important, but in world of cinema final packaging, more often than not, can prove to be deal breaker. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is a s specimen of this.

Though film takes an appreciable deep dive into India's political history between 1900s to 1960s besides tracing Savarkar's life, three-hour long runtime is tedious and simply not worth sitting through.

Bottomline

Randeep Hooda proves his mettle as a bona fide biopic veteran. film also carries a strong glimpse of actor's raw potential as a director.

Swantantrya Veer Savarkar, however, drawls on for way too long with no big cinematic pay off at end.

Rating: 1.5/5