'Shershaah' movie review: Sidharth Malhotra impresses in engaging war drama

The film, based on the life of the late Kargil hero Captain Vikram Batra, works because of Sidharth's sincere performance

Director: Vishnuvardhan

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Shiv Pandit and Shataf Figar

Rating: 3/5

Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Tamil filmmaker Vishnuvardhan's maiden Hindi movie Shershaah is a reasonably engaging war drama that proves to be a good showreel for its leading man Sidharth Malhotra. The film is based on the life of Kargil hero Captain Vikram Batra and has been produced by Karan Johar, who had previously backed Gunjan Saxena. Like the Janhvi Kapoor-starrer, it opens with a heroic sequence that builds an aura around the protagonist. The rest of the narrative focuses on the titular character's childhood, love story and bravery.

Effective screenplay

The recently-released Tamil sports drama Sarpatta Parambarai emerged as a 'digital blockbuster' despite its shortcomings as it featured a meticulously written screenplay that did a good job of introducing the viewers to its world. Shershaah adopts a similar 'show, don't tell' approach as several simple yet telling sequences in the first half highlight the discipline and ethics that are synonymous with the Indian Army. A sequence involving the importance of sources is a case in point. Moreover, Sidharth's interactions with his reel colleagues make the action feel all the more relatable.

Realistic action sequences

Broadly speaking, a film with an Army backdrop needs to have compelling action sequences to leave an impact. The Akshaye Khanna-starrer Temple Attack is a case in point. The film clicked with the target audience despite the middling screenplay as the combat scenes came across as believable. This is exactly where Shershaah excels as the realistic war scenes hit the right notes without being excessively violent or dramatic.

Not perfect

That said, Shershaah is not a flawless attempt at storytelling by any stretch of the imagination. The romantic track does not work as it feels rushed. The reel chemistry between 'Sid' and Kiara Advani lacks the organic intensity needed to make an impact. The film gets a bit predictable points but this isn't really a major issue as commercial cinema tends to depend on templates and cliches to drive home the message.

'Sid' at his best

Coming to the performances, Sidharth impresses in a role that is a complete departure from anything that he has done in the past. His unmistakable sincerity makes him a delight to watch.

Kiara does not get much scope even though her character manages to highlight the softer side of the protagonist. Shataf Figar makes his presence felt even though he does not have too many scenes. Nikitin Dheer and Shiv Pandit try to do justice to characters that haven't really been fleshed out too well.

Technically sound

Shershaah features a few hummable songs that gel with the narrative. Raataan Lambiyan and Ranjha are undoubtedly the picks of the lot as their simple yet meaningful lyrics add depth to the otherwise generic romantic sequences. The background score adds a sense of urgency to the reel action. Its impact, however, would have been a lot stronger had Shershaah been released in theatres. The editing is up to the mark as the film doesn't drag too much. The lighting does a good job of setting the mood for the sequences in question. Shershaah also manages to explore the tactics involved in the war in a simplified manner. The other technical aspects have been handled well.