Sarkaar logon ko afeem chata rahe hain, aur woh chaat rahe hai,” is a dialogue that comes up in Kannan Iyer’s ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’, as a group of friends discuss the advent of fake news in India.
While the movie is set in 1942, during the British Raj, the dialogue also stands true for present-day India.
The historical biography is based on the life of Usha Mehta (Sara Ali Khan), a young freedom fighter known for starting Congress Radio, an underground radio station that played a key role during the Quit India Movement in 1942.
Despite landing a well-written role that would allow her to shine, Sara’s performance falls flat, lacking the necessary depth to engage the audience. In some parts, her portrayal of Usha comes across as forced and unconvincing, failing to resonate with viewers.
Unfortunately, some of the young supporting actors too fail to live up to expectations. At times, their dialogue delivery is reminiscent of a primary school theatre production.
If you can get past the bad acting, some forced romance scenes, and a sprinkling of unnecessary slow-motion shots, the story is indeed an inspiring one. With powerful dialogues and a good background score, some parts might even draw a tear or two.
The courage of a 22-year-old girl to protect her country from a life of misery and hatred by bravely fighting against tyrants reminds us of what patriotism truly means. A much-needed reminder in today’s climate where a new propaganda film is fed to the audience each month in the name of patriotism.
Cut-off box - Ae Watan Mere Watan
Hindi (Prime Video)
Director: Kannan Iyer
Cast: Sara Ali Khan Abhay Verma Anand Tiwari Sparsh Shrivastav Sachin Khedekar Emraan Hashmi
Rating: 2/5
(Published 22 March 2024, 23:58 IST)
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