Loose threads drag this drama from Kashmir to Rajasthan

Mona

Five years after ‘Batla House’, director-actor duo Nikkhil Advani and John Abraham once again come together in the Independence Day release ‘Vedaa’. The action drama is a revenge story that moves from verdant Kashmir to royal Rajasthan!

The plot follows ex-Army Major Abhimanyu Kanwar (John Abraham), who has to unceremoniously shun his uniform post a tough operation that eliminated a dreaded terrorist. A promise to his wife takes him to Barmer, Rajasthan, where he sees a rampant caste system. The Dalits are living under the jungle rules set by Pradhan Jitendar Pratap Singh (Abhishek Banerjee). Kanwar joins a college run by Pradhan as an assistant boxing coach. Coming from an unjust society, Dalit girl Vedaa Berwa (Sharvari) wants boxing to be her liberator and trains under Abhimanyu. It gets murky when her brother Vinod (Anurag Thakur) runs away with an upper caste girl. Honour killing, brutal rape and mindless violence follow.

‘Vedaa’ gives a glimpse of how life is behind the honour killing headlines that we read so often. Those not living under the diktats of an alternative administration led by upper caste men find some stark revelations that are hard to stomach. One cannot imagine that despite going to college, you cannot drink water from the same water cooler or avail facilities just because you are a girl, that too from a lower caste. The ugly truth of honour killing is too shocking, too brutal, too painful to watch.

A fierce Vedaa, holding the hand of her indomitable ‘Coach sir’, fights the system to be able to breathe freely.

John Abraham looks and acts tough. Sharvari gives a powerful performance, especially in the second half, in her tomboy look. They regale the viewers with some fine hooks and punches. Action choreography has its high moments. Abhishek Banerjee as Pradhan has really worked on his role and delivers a fine performance. But he seems like a miscast due to his puny frame, especially when put face-to-face with a rather robust John in a fight. Ashish Vidyarthi as Kaka and Kshitij Chauhan as Suyog Pratap Singh give good performances. The background score brings the brutal action sequences alive in the backdrop of havelis.

While the film has a decent storyline, fine acting, fun and crackling dialogues and, most importantly, a significant message, it does not come together as a memorable act. While the film comes packed with an item number, ‘Mummy Ji’, and a fun number, ‘Holiyaan’, none of the aspects reach their peak. The Raashi-Vedaa (Tamannaah Bhatia and Sharvari) story doesn’t really gel and the sisters’ track isn’t nuanced either. Many a thread is left loose. The second half is dragged.

Though well-intentioned and decently implemented with all the elements of a blockbuster present, and most pertinently a message that matters, ‘Vedaa’ misses the mark ever so slightly.

A one-time watch for those who love some blood and gore.