Sarfira
Introduction
Popcorn Reviewss had begun its innings in 2020 with the review of Laxmi on its first day followed by Soorarai Pottru on its next day. Who would have thought that life would come a full circle like it has now with the combination of the stars of the two films featuring the remake of the latter. Being Akshay Kumar is not easy given the amount of hate and cultural cancellations that the man has had in the recent past. This does include trolls literally gaslighting him on social media even before his releases, leading to most of his new films underperforming at the Box Office. However, I must also add that a part of it might also be related to the over exposure of Khiladi Kumar, with almost coming up with 4 or more films every year while even doing TV commercials. The problem from a viewership standpoint isn’t about Akshay Kumar slowing down with his work, much of the accusations that he does get defensive about. It is about working wisely and smartly, while preventing a sense of exhaution amongst viewers wherein his films should be celebrated events that they once used to be. This is contrary to the recent films just that came and disappeared, to the point wherein it almost seemed he was sleep walking through most roles. As a result, even some of his good films went rather unnoticed(you see the difference now?).
Sarfira joins the long list of recent films from the filmography of Akshay Kumar that just hasn’t generated enough buzz. And one of the reasons has got to be the cancellation of remakes that are a part and parcel of Bollywood trying to replicate the success of the original film. Over the years post the pandemic, only Drishyam 2 and Shaitaan have been remakes that have actually worked, and one thing to note is tgat both did not have the Hindi Dubbed version of the original film readily available(Vash was not released on OTT at all). But here with Sarfira releasing, an official adaptation of the original Tamil Film Soorarai Pottru which had won a national award, and whose Hindi dubbed version Udaan is also available for free on Youtube, the makers were always fighting a losing battle. Moreover, it also did partly reflect the desperation of a superstar to certify a ‘Hit’ at the Box Office in what is perhaps the longest unsuccessful streak of his career(with OMG 2 being a minor exception). Going into Sarfira, I wasn’t too excited given that I had already reviewed the wonderful film Soorarai Pottru. But I did promise myself that I would give Sarfira a fighting chance by not allowing any biases to creep in, even if it were to do with the comparison of the original film. So then, does Sarfira manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
An official adaptation of the original Tamil film Soorarai Pottru, Sarfira is a semi autobiography based on the life of Gopinath as he aims to launch a low cost carrier for the common man. The story here highlights the issues that he faces in the process of starting his own airline. Now if you have watched the original film, you will exactly know the beats of the screenplay and the kind of curveballs it has to offer. But despite all of it, I could safely say that this is a sincere effort in recreating the vibe of the original film that had a lot of raw emotions to play with, while offers several highs and lows in the life of the protagonist. It is also a faithful remake doing well to change its setting and offer something new over the course of the screenplay which is standing at a shade above 150 minutes. The only issue for me here was that the makers were always fighting a losing battle given that many folks may either have watched the original, or some of the others who would wait for the OTT release of this film.
The drama begins with a dramatic sequence featuring the introduction of the protagonist who tries to ensure that a flight lands with safety, after it is initially not given clearance to land thereby risking the lives of his crew. But the start is a little wobbly to begin with post that. As a part of the flashback, you are witness to the reintroduction of the protagonist with a weird wig, even as you notice him getting acquainted to his love interest, against the backdrop of a Mika Singh number that just did not belong to this universe. But while there are bouts of distractions in the drama early on, the events which follow are laced with sincerity that slowly build a world that is grounded and filled with the right kind of emotions.
The proceedings are engaging even though I exactly knew the kind of obstacles that would eventually form the crux of the story. Yet, I couldn’t get over the fact that there were some genuine emotions in play even as you are witness to the distressed father-son bond ending in tragedy, but not before a gut-wrenching outcry by the protagonist at the airport. This, even as the protagonist constantly hustles in pushing the case of his dreams of opening his own low-cost airline, much to the dismay of vultures around him that frequently hound him with multiple obstacles. The politics showcased in the film really adds an underlying layer to the drama that is filled with emotions. Even the twists and turns that were supposedly predictable for me given my tryst with the original source material, I still found myself uncannily invested in the journey all over again, silently rooting for the protagonist to do well against all odds. Also, the love story which began as a bit of a distraction settled down just so well, while painting a rather organic picture.
The events leading to the final act are much in line with the original as opposed to a few scenes early on like the one featuring Dr APJ Abdul Kalam that made a new entry here although not quite adding anything new to the drama. But the kind of emotions that are brought to the table from elation to rejection amidst a standard set of twists and turns really worked in favour of the film. The same concluded in a moving final act although the one in the original was just so much more emotional. But taking nothing away from the film that indeed accounted for one of the adaptations, even as a part of me continued to feel sorry about it given how the film just did not gather enough buzz even while the makers were always fighting a losing battle!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are well written and exude of a layer of sincerity, while retaining the expected set of emotions rather beautifully. If there is a major demerit to the drama then it just has to be the music of the film which is not only off but also just doesn’t represent the world wherein the drama here is set in. To give you a perspective, at one point in the film, a random qawwali plays out, out of nowhere that just didn’t exude the intended vibe of the drama. The BGM though does work well while elevating the drama at various junctures of the drama. The cinematography also comprises of some stellar frames that either add to the aesthetics of the drama or exude of emotions that really trascend past the screen, and into the hearts of the viewers. The editing also settles down pretty well after the initial wobble, while accounting for a drama filled with the right kind of emotions. Director Sudha Kongara who had also directed the original film, does a wonderful job in adapting the film as per the varied sensibilities of the intended viewers. And she is also successful in creating a range of emotions that were beautiful to witness, packaged in a rather heartfelt drama that exuded of sincerity. Her control over the proceedings was commendable, never really trying too much while allowing measured minimalism to be the tone of the drama. The direction was fabulous here.
Performances
The performances are excellent here by the ensemble cast. Gitanjali Mangal and Shivam Ramaji are good despite a limited screen time. Rahul Vohra as Shashank, Prakash Belawade as Prakash and Jay Upadhyay as Rani’s uncle are fabulous to witness and they have their moments to shine. Anil Charanjeett as Mandar is such an endearing character and he essays his heartfelt role with utmost sincerity, so much so that he remains affable throughout the film. Irawati Harshe Mayadev as Chitra has a lovely screen presence and she is such a natural onscreen. Krishnakumar Balasubramaniam as Chaitanya is terrific to witness and he really performs with utmost sincerity. R Sarathkumar as Nedumaran adds a lot of star power with his extended cameo. Saurabh Goyal as Sam is wonderfully restrained in a splendid job done overall.
Seema Biswas is such a brilliant actor, someone that I absolutely adore for her range as an actor. She beautifully blends in the role of Vir’s mother and delivers a subtle but powerful performance that is so heartfelt in many ways. Paresh Rawal as Paresh delivers a measured performance in a character that is shrewd and cocky. There was considerable amount of restraint in his spectacular act, wherein he does a fabulous job. Radhikka Madan is such a talented actor who is always so effortless in her act. Here as Rani, she did have a dialect which was difficult to imitate but I thought she did a brilliant job here. There was something about her character being a breath of fresh air through her mannerisms and body language that did exude of a positive vibe, even as her act was subtly brilliant and filled with sincerity.
This brings me to Akshay Kumar who delivers one of his most sincere acts in years. You could see the effort that he put into his role of Vir here, by tapping upon the right kind of emotions. It almost gave me an impression that this version of Akshay Kumar was switched on and wanted to put his heart and soul into his character, rather than just turning up on set. This, may not have been as towering as the supremely emotional act by Suriya in the original film but it still accounted for a commendable act that held the film together.
Conclusion
Sarfira is a sincere and earnest adaptation of the original film Soorarai Pottru that definitely clicks with all the intended emotions and performances. My only criticism around the film was that the makers were always fighting a losing battle with the content that they wished to deliver, and that may have eventually lead towards the low buzz of the film. This film is also an interesting case for Akshay Kumar who has had such an over exposure with the viewers, that his seemingly good film like Sarfira would also go unnoticed amongst a few lesser ones(and hope I am wrong here). But, the lining is on the wall – Sarfira is a wonderful watch and I will still stand by it. And before anyone jumps the gun, this is NOT a paid promotion! Peace! Available in a theatre near you.