John Abraham, Sharvari deliver a solid first half, but the narrative stumbles with overdone action scenes
Vedaa is a social action drama film featuring John Abraham, Sharvari, and Abhishek Banerjee in key roles. Directed by Nikkhil Advani, the story is written by Aseem Arora and is inspired by real-life events. The film is produced by Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment, and JA Entertainment. The music is composed by Amaal Malik, Manan Bhardwaj, Raghav-Arjun, and Kartik Shah. The runtime is 159 minutes.
Movie Review: Vedaa
Release date: August 15
Where To Watch: Theatres
Cast: John Abraham, Sharvari, Abhishek Banerjee
Director: Nikkhil Advani
What’s it about?
The story is set in Barmer, Rajasthan, where Vedaa (played by Sharvari) and her family, who belong to the Dalit community, face severe discrimination and ill-treatment from those in the so-called upper caste. Abhimanyu (John Abraham), a former soldier who has been court-martialed, is hired as an assistant boxing coach at Vedaa’s college. Witnessing the injustices faced by Vedaa and her family, Abhimanyu becomes angry and determined to help her. He not only trains Vedaa in boxing but also stands by her in her larger battle for survival and justice.
What’s hot?
The first half of the film effectively portrays the harsh reality of how the Dalit community is still treated inhumanely. Vedaa and her family’s struggles serve as a powerful reminder that even 78 years after India’s independence, the caste system and discrimination remain deeply rooted in society. John Abraham’s entry into the film is impactful, and the director, Nikkhil Advani, along with writer Aseem Arora, maintains a realistic tone in depicting the mistreatment of the powerless and the cruel nature of those who hold power. Sharvari delivers a strong performance as Vedaa, especially in emotionally charged and intense scenes. John Abraham is in his element, delivering impressive action sequences. Abhishek Banerjee portrays a villainous character with subtlety, making his role as the antagonist particularly chilling.
What’s not?
However, the film has its drawbacks. The songs are distracting and do not blend well with the storyline, especially the Holi song. While the action scenes in the first half are well-executed, the second half suffers from an overuse of fight sequences, which slows down the narrative. The filmmakers seem to lose focus on the central theme of caste discrimination and Vedaa’s struggle, turning the movie into a more typical action flick. The climax is somewhat overdone and lacks the emotional impact it should have had, partly due to the slow pacing of the story leading up to that point.
Final Verdict
Overall, Vedaa has a good start as it indeed focuses on the important social issue of caste discrimination. However, it ultimately loses the main premise by prioritizing action over showing how our character fights back, in a better manner. The film has solid performances, particularly from Sharvari and Abhishek Banerjee and John Abraham does action in style as expected. But, with the songs and overuse of fight sequences, it doesn’t appear that effective in the end.
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