Subedaar Movie Review: Anil Kapoor delivers a restrained yet powerful performance in Suresh Triveni’s action drama about corruption and abuse of power. A solid premise elevated by strong performances, but dragged down by a meandering narrative.
The Army is ready to wage war against those who pose a threat to the nation. Often, those in the armed forces sacrifice everything, their family, their personal lives, and personal milestones, only to safeguard the nation. But what if the threat is not another nation, but something that lurks within? What if it is those in power who abuse it and push their way ahead, not caring about human lives, that are making the nation hollow? Then, you need a Subedaar to step forward and take matters into his own hands.
_Subedaar_ Plot
The premise of the film is solid. Standing at the helm of it is
Subedaar Arjun Maurya (Anil Kapoor), who has finally returned to his hometown. However, he has lost something forever- his wife Sudha (Khushboo Sundar). He returns home to his daughter Shyama (Radhikka Madan), who isn’t too close to him because he has mostly been an absent father, and to a bright red Gypsy that his late wife booked for him by selling achaar and keeping herself busy. This Gypsy becomes what the dog was to John Wick- a sign of love that he could not cherish or be close to for long enough. So when the local dabang Prince (Aditya Rawal) tries to mess with it, he has to pay dearly.
No, don’t get the John Wick reference too much in your head. It’s not like Anil Kapoor’s Arjun is out on a rampage. He gives Prince, his Babli Didi (Mona Singh), who is the real power and whose influence her step-brother Prince flaunts, and even Softy Bhai (Faisal Malik) a chance at reconciliation. He very clearly states that as a Subedaar, he can take a bullet but not an insult. But Rawal’s character, reeling with power, pushes him to an extent where he brings out his Baba Yaga mode, and then there’s carnage.
The performances
It is a treat to watch Anil Kapoor in a role like this. He uses minimal dialogue and shows his simmering anger through expressions alone. The action sequences seem flawless, and the action director deserves credit for that. There are minimal movements, but everything looks slick and absolutely plausible. From love to heartbreak to anger to finally letting it all out, Kapoor simply elevates the movie with his performance. It’s also good to see his rage not come with a loud announcement, but be dealt with subtlety. Full points to director Suresh Triveni, who also wrote the film, for breaking the mould from most contemporary action flicks.
Complementing him perfectly is Aditya Rawal as the main antagonist. There’s always a joy in watching Rawal perform, even though the kind of roles being offered to him now are getting a tad repetitive. Rawal still manages to bring nuance to this version of the hinterland villain, but filmmakers do need to explore his range further.
Radhikka Madan plays Shyama, a feisty young woman, with utmost conviction. Her martial arts skills come in handy, even though we see only a short glimpse of them. She is amazing in her role, delivering every dialogue with the perfect accent.
Faisal Malik is equally delightful to watch, but one needs to especially laud Mona Singh and her range. Her role can be called an extended cameo, but even for that short while, she nails her character to the T. Saurabh Shukla plays Kapoor’s friend and fellow army man, and as expected, he is perfect.
The Good and the Bad
While the performances are the absolute highlight, the music deserves attention too. It’s different, and it’s good. The same can be said for the cinematography, which captures the backdrop with such precision that it feels like a character in itself.
So, is everything perfect in this Suresh Triveni film? We wish. The biggest issue becomes the meandering narrative. Yes, Shyama’s own struggles and how her father is so aloof from them, just as she is from him, are important. But it feels stretched. The climax runs for so long that even the twist and the cameo at the end don’t feel as impactful as they should have. The editing needed to be sharper, and the runtime could have been cut shorter to make this taut and gripping. The audience’s attention is bound to flicker by the end.
The final word
Subedaar is a good one-time watch that needs to be on your binge list for the brilliant performances by the cast. The film had the potential to do way better, and hopefully Triveni will ensure the experience is elevated in the sequel he promises at the end of the film.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
WATCH the trailer of Subedaar here:
_Subedaar_ is streaming on Prime Video.
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