Movie review: Four out of five stars for Diwali entertainer, ‘Son of Sardaar’

Published Tuesday, November 13, 2012

By Bindu Suresh Rai

After bikes, cars and snazzy trucks, Ajay Devgn gallops into the opening scene of “Son of Sardaar” in his trademark stunt, only replacing the mean machines with real life horses.

If the audience hasn’t deciphered it already, then this Sikh’s dare devilry is reiterated with the next shot, where Devgn spends his time hanging atop the hour hand of London’s Big Ben timepiece.

At this point, there are only two avenues to choose from: either you cradle your head that is surely aching by now at the sheer ludicrousness of it all, or you simply hunker down with the popcorn, and possibly some Indian samosas, for a spicy, zany fare.

This reviewer chose the latter.

Straight out of Devgn’s close friend, Salman Khan’s brand of Bollywood kitsch, “Son of Sardar” borrows deeply, and successfully, from films such as “Wanted” and “Dabangg”, while ironically, also paying tribute in its own tongue-n-cheek way to now public enemy, Yash Raj Films, with a parody of the infamous train sequence in “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” that starred the lead actor’s wife Kajol.

In a flashback sequence that’s appears very Quentin Tarantino-ish with its fountains of gushing blood, the audience is informed of an arch rivalry between two Sikh clans that results in the murders of the patriarchs on both sides.

Swearing revenge, Sanjay Dutt’s Billoo refuses to marry the love of his life, played by a charming Juhi Chawla, until he avenges his uncle’s death.

Needless to say, the enemy’s sole surviving off-spring grows up into Devgn’s Jassi Randhawa, who returns to his pind or village after 25 years when he receives a letter informing him that he has been bequeathed acres of land by his late father.

If you are looking for logic, the question to ask here would be: if Jassi and his now late mother were in hiding these past two-odd decades from the bloodthirsty Sandhu clan, how did a government body track the family down in a remote club in London to courier the legal documents?

But then, who really looks for logic in a film titled “Son of Sardaar”?

En route to his village with a bag full of gags and spades of harmless humour, Jassi encounters the lovely Sukh (a delightful Sonakshi Sinha) and promptly falls in love.

Sukh, of course, turns out to be Billoo’s cousin sister, and it isn’t long before Jassi’s true identity is revealed.

However, Billoo is unable to kill his arch rival and extract revenge due to his cultural teachings and strong beliefs that say a guest in the house is akin to God and cannot be harmed until he steps out into ‘no man’s land’.

The remainder of the film is a volley of one-upmanship, stunts, corny jokes and some serious use of computer graphics that involve the Sandhu clan’s ham attempts to get Jassi to cross the threshold of their house.

Yes, yes, it’s undeniable that the plot is hackneyed to say the least. Yet, somehow, director Ashwni Dhir manages to bring in some genuine laugh out loud moments, while the rest of the film can be chuckled at if not with its cast members.

Devgn recycles his “Golmaal” self, while Dutt is more restrained than the awful “Rascals” that saw him share screen space with the former actor last year.

What is surprising and refreshing are the two leading ladies, who manage to hold their own in this male-dominated film.

In fact, Chawla’s Pammi is seriously likeable and funny, while Sinha is slated for bigger and better films in the near future.

The rest of the merry band of Punjabi characters, played by Tanuja, Mukul Dev and Vindoo Singh, do their bits on command.

Despite the negative press and the backlash Devgn himself has faced in recent weeks with his legal tussle with YRF over “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” screenings this festive period, “Son of Sardaar” shouldn't be prejudiced against by fans of Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif or Yash Chopra loyalists.

The Diwali Bollywood box office always serves up plenty of fireworks annually, and if you are really in the mood for a cracker this year, leave logic aside and cut a ticket for some clean, good entertainment with “Son of Sardaar”.

MUST READ: