| Cast: |
Shailendra
Gaur, Navni Parihar, Mrinal Kulkarni
|
| Director: |
Ved
Rahi |
| Producer: |
- |
Veer
Savarkar is a big film for Maharashtra. Savarkar was
one of India's leading freedom fighters who spent
most of his life in prison and hence did not get the
kind of media mileage required to be a national leader.
But
people who have heard about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
would be mighty impressed with his life. And that
is exactly the plus point of this film about him.
The
initial portions of this film by Ved Rahi are a bit
rusty, but it moves on quite well. Savarkar's story
starts from the time when he was in London, moves
into flashback, and then into the future.
The
film is peppered with important events from the freedom
fighter's life, starting with his detention at VT
station. Other well-shot scenes are the much talked
about heroic escape, leaping into the sea at Marseilles,
his re-arrest in the south of France, his trial and
conviction (for 50 years) by the Bombay High Court,
his 11 torturous years at the Cellular Jail in the
Andaman, his authoring of the book Hindutva, his meeting
with Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi. The
latter meeting, executed beautifully, is the highpoint
of the film, though the scene may not go down well
with die-hard Gandhians.
Shailendra
Gaur is brilliant as Savarkar. The range of emotions
he displays while in jail are extraordinary. Navni
Parihar as his wife lends excellent support, but looks
older than him.
The
direction is competent and the restrictions of working
with a historical subject reflect slightly with the
story acquiring the documentary detour at times.
A
fitting tribute to the late freedom fighter, Veer
Savarkar is worth a watch for his innumerable fans
and for those with an interest in the freedom struggle.
