'Fateh' movie review | Sonu Sood’s directorial debut is predictable and formulaic

In his directorial debut, actor Sonu Sood focuses on the rise in cybercrime in India. It follows the story of Fateh Singh (Sood), a former Indian agent who worked for an undercover agency.

The film begins with the titular character living a peaceful life as a dairy farm supervisor in a village in Punjab. However, things take a dramatic turn when Nimrat, his neighbour who owns a mobile phone store, inadvertently causes significant financial losses to many due to a fraudulent app. As tensions rise, Nimrat travels to Delhi to confront the person behind the app, but she mysteriously disappears.

Fateh’s search for Nimrat takes him to Delhi. He meets Khushi (Jacqueline Fernandez) there, who has links to hackers. She tells him about the rise in cybercrime activities targeting the middle-class in the country. The rest of the film follows Fateh’s mission to rescue Nimrat and catch hold of the criminals.

The plot, screenplay, and execution lack originality. Writers Sood and Ankur Pajni appear to draw inspiration from successful films, incorporating familiar scenes and formulas. This makes the storyline predictable.

The film’s excessive violence is overwhelming and gratuitous. The nonlinear narrative adds to the chaos and disjointedness of the film. The action sequences are effectively choreographed.

Sood delivers an impressive performance in the film’s action sequences. Jacqueline, Naseeruddin Shah, and Vijay Raaz slip into their roles with ease. The rest of the cast is underutilised.