Sarabjit Singh. Google this name, and you'd get a history on him. On his journey from being a nobody in Punjab, to being falsely imprisoned in Pakistan for 23 years, on how much his Sister fought for his innocence & bring him back home, only to breath his last, after he was attacked by his inmates at the jail. Its a horrifying story & Director Omang Kumar takes the chance to narrate it with 'Sarbjit'.
Honestly, 'Sarbjit' is a tragedy so heartbreaking, it must be true. Cinematically, the biopic unfolds affectingly, albeit with a few flaws in its writing, but what stands tall here, despite the blemishes, is Randeep Hooda, who's portrayal of Sarbjit, is simply unforgettable.
'Sarbjit' starts off with disappearance of Sarbjit (Randeep Hooda) back in 1990. That's when his Sister Dalbir (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), & Wife Sukhpreet (The Wonderful Richa Chaddha) start a search on him. After 6 months of being clueless, Dalbir receives a letter from her missing brother & later learns that, at the night of his disappearance, he accidentally crossed the border after having a couple of drinks. However, he has been mistaken to be an Indian spy and has been going through severe torture in a jail in Pakistan. And thus, begins Dalbir's struggle to prove her brother's innocence & bring him back home, which sadly lasted for 23 years & also cost Sarbjit his life.
'Sarbjit' has its share of powerful moments. And by powerful, I even mean emotionally. Its hard not to get a lump in your throat in the sequence when Sarbjit meets his family after 18 long years. Even the sequences where Sarbjit is tortured, are difficult to watch. But, despite the film being called 'Sarbjit', the narrative is more on Dalbir's relentless pursuit to free her brother form injustice. Its truly affecting to see Dalbir fight & never give up, despite political pressures & racial matters, That being said, this is a depressing film, so I'd suggest you only to watch this biopic, if you have the heart for it.
Utkarshini Vashishtha & Rajesh Beri's Screenplay re-tells a true human tragedy, with some really arresting moments. However, I found the second-hour a bit less captivating as compared to the first-hour. The pace slackens in the second-hour & hence, the impact overall, somehow gets affected. Nonetheless, the goings-on are mostly engaging. Omang Kumar's Direction is a bit loud, but he has handled some sequences very well. Cinematography is fair. Editing is also decently done. Background Score is fabulous. Make-Up is nicely done.
Performance-Wise: Randeep Hooda is the heartbeat of 'Sarbjit'. As the innocent man imprisoned wrongfully, Hooda transforms into a man, physically & mentally, who despite all the horror, never lost his humanity. This is a performance driven by pure talent & commitment. This is Hooda at his finest! Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Dalbir, delivers an earnest performance. She justifies her part, expressing genuine frustration & helplessness. Richa Chaddha is quietly devastating as Sarbjit's wife, displaying a range of emotions with her piercing eyes. She's superb! Darshan Kumar as Awais Sheikh, A Pakistan Lawyer who defends Sarbjit, shines in a brief role. Others lend good support.
On the whole, 'Sarbjit' is compelling in parts, but Hooda soars!
Honestly, 'Sarbjit' is a tragedy so heartbreaking, it must be true. Cinematically, the biopic unfolds affectingly, albeit with a few flaws in its writing, but what stands tall here, despite the blemishes, is Randeep Hooda, who's portrayal of Sarbjit, is simply unforgettable.
'Sarbjit' starts off with disappearance of Sarbjit (Randeep Hooda) back in 1990. That's when his Sister Dalbir (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), & Wife Sukhpreet (The Wonderful Richa Chaddha) start a search on him. After 6 months of being clueless, Dalbir receives a letter from her missing brother & later learns that, at the night of his disappearance, he accidentally crossed the border after having a couple of drinks. However, he has been mistaken to be an Indian spy and has been going through severe torture in a jail in Pakistan. And thus, begins Dalbir's struggle to prove her brother's innocence & bring him back home, which sadly lasted for 23 years & also cost Sarbjit his life.
'Sarbjit' has its share of powerful moments. And by powerful, I even mean emotionally. Its hard not to get a lump in your throat in the sequence when Sarbjit meets his family after 18 long years. Even the sequences where Sarbjit is tortured, are difficult to watch. But, despite the film being called 'Sarbjit', the narrative is more on Dalbir's relentless pursuit to free her brother form injustice. Its truly affecting to see Dalbir fight & never give up, despite political pressures & racial matters, That being said, this is a depressing film, so I'd suggest you only to watch this biopic, if you have the heart for it.
Utkarshini Vashishtha & Rajesh Beri's Screenplay re-tells a true human tragedy, with some really arresting moments. However, I found the second-hour a bit less captivating as compared to the first-hour. The pace slackens in the second-hour & hence, the impact overall, somehow gets affected. Nonetheless, the goings-on are mostly engaging. Omang Kumar's Direction is a bit loud, but he has handled some sequences very well. Cinematography is fair. Editing is also decently done. Background Score is fabulous. Make-Up is nicely done.
Performance-Wise: Randeep Hooda is the heartbeat of 'Sarbjit'. As the innocent man imprisoned wrongfully, Hooda transforms into a man, physically & mentally, who despite all the horror, never lost his humanity. This is a performance driven by pure talent & commitment. This is Hooda at his finest! Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Dalbir, delivers an earnest performance. She justifies her part, expressing genuine frustration & helplessness. Richa Chaddha is quietly devastating as Sarbjit's wife, displaying a range of emotions with her piercing eyes. She's superb! Darshan Kumar as Awais Sheikh, A Pakistan Lawyer who defends Sarbjit, shines in a brief role. Others lend good support.
On the whole, 'Sarbjit' is compelling in parts, but Hooda soars!