Sardar Udham
A young Sardar Udham Singh left deeply scarred by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, escaped into the mountains of Afghanistan, reaching London in 1933-34. Carrying an unhealed wound for 21 years, the revolutionary assassinated Michael O’Dwyer on 13th March, 1940, the man at the helm of affairs in Punjab, April 1919 to avenge the lost lives of his beloved brethren.
- Released: 2021-10-16
- Runtime: 163 minutes
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Stars: Vicky Kaushal, Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Banita Sandhu, Kirsty Averton, Amol Parashar, Tushar Jain, Tim Berrington, Andrew Havill, Richard Glover, Ritesh Shah, Jogi Malang, Sam Redford, Albrekht Tsander, Mark Lingwood, Simon Weir, Tim Hudson, Nicholas Gecks, Kuljeet Singh, Tushar Sheetal Singhal, Andrei Tolshin, Sarfaraz Alam Safu, Sergei Mazurenko
- Director: Shoojit Sircar
Comments
- manjushergill - 30 December 2023
Awesome biopic
Udham Singh's biopic is an extraordinary cinematic journey that delves into the life of a revolutionary figure who left an indelible mark on history. The film begins by tracing Udham Singh's early years in British-ruled India, providing a poignant backdrop to understand the roots of his fierce nationalism.
As a young witness to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Udham Singh's character is profoundly shaped by the brutality he witnesses, fueling his determination to seek justice. The narrative seamlessly weaves through his transformative journey, illustrating his evolution from a victim of colonial oppression to a relentless avenger.
The biopic meticulously explores Singh's years abroad, particularly in England, where he meticulously plans and executes his mission to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. The film masterfully captures the complexities of Singh's character, portraying him not just as a vengeful patriot but as a human driven by an unyielding sense of justice.
The cinematography deserves special mention for its ability to transport the audience to different eras, effectively capturing the essence of 20th-century India and England. The visuals artfully reflect the contrasting landscapes of Singh's homeland and the foreign soil where he seeks retribution.
Vicky Kaushal's portrayal of Udham Singh is nothing short of stellar. His nuanced performance breathes life into the character, capturing the internal struggles, passion, and resilience of the historical figure. The supporting cast complements Kaushal's brilliance, delivering performances that enrich the overall narrative. - pranabchaudhury - 14 February 2023
Masterpiece. This is cinema. Shoojit Sircar Never Disappoints.
Finally watched this after delaying it for the perfect moment, it was today. A true masterpiece. Shoojit Sircar never disappoints, one of all time great & favourite directors "for-the-reason". One of the finest nonlinear storytelling, great writing, nicely shot & great acting from everyone. Even those who played the British characters, it's rare that in a Bollywood movie they'll allow British actors or characters to shine. Vicky Kaushal's best performance after the great Masaan. And the final act is just truly mind blowing, those last 40mins was so uneasy & disturbing to watch. Brilliantly shot, staged & directed in such a way that felt real as if someone went back in time and put invisible cameras in between. The only thing that's bad or doesn't go well with the film is its editing, very odd, at times cutting between different angles abruptly, and stretched, could have been shortened.
Shoojit Sircar probably the best director in Bollywood today, best at biopics and someone who can make Bollywood movies without its hallmark songs/dances and this is what the industry needs. Truly deserved to be selected for Oscars from India and the jury didn't send it by saying "it has too much hatred for British" lol, and they call themselves Indians or filmmakers and give lectures in film schools. Still they expect British Govt to officially apologise for their acts, when the sense of ownership is lost in what's rightfully yours... - SnoopyStyle - 18 September 2022
compelling history
Udham Singh (Vicky Kaushal) is released from prison in India. The authorities are alerted but he manages to travel to England using false documents. He protests against the injustice of British colonialism in India. He grows in need to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
No doubt, this is compelling history. The question is if this is a compelling story or more importantly, a compelling movie. It does get a bit repetitive in the middle after the assassinations. The structure of the movie is slightly problematic. This is really a character study of the lead character. It needs to show the massacre first and give context to his drive. I can see why the filmmaker wants to save it for the last act. Using a straighter timeline would let the audience inhabit Udham's mentality. - rvjoshi18 - 31 July 2022
Movie Of Indian, By Indian, For Indian
Another masterpiece by Shoojit Sarcar! It capture real heroic aspects of Udham Singh and portrays in nice non-linear narration. How he could he hold his anger for 21 long years and then take his revenge is telling of Indian Civilization itself. It lies low for thousand years, but refuses to forget, refuses to give up. Elephantine memory, to quote from the movie. It is slightly difficult for other cultures to appreciate this movie (probably that is the reason for not being selected for Oscar). The Jalianawallah Bagh may appear too long. But, it should be seen, frame by frame, without skipping and all the pain should be absorbed to understand. 1919 incident was watershed moment in Indian history. Best picturaization was from Richard Attenborough's Gandhi. Indian versions lacked imagination, resources or both.
If we need understand Udham Singh's pursuit of 21 long year pursuit, and his decision to make it sign of protest against imperialism rather than of personal revenge, we need to patiently go through Jalianawallah Bagh scene. Yes, it does not provide any extra information, but conditions the heart.
Though it does not contain against British culture per se (rather you do develop admiration for their structured governance), the pain, the anguish the sheer humiliation can be felt only by an Indian heart. Hence it is strongly recommended for every Indian.
