'Sooryavanshi' Review: Akshay Kumar's race against time is an action-packed adventure

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgn, Jaaved Jaaferi, Jackie Shroff

Where to watch Sooryavanshi: In a cinema hall

Plot:

Sooryavanshi is all about Akshay Kumar’s character, Veer Sooryavanshi, the Chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad. The film revolves around him and his team’s efforts to safeguard Mumbai from one of the city’s worst terror attacks ever seen. The action-packed drama’s focus is the safety of Mumbaikars and nabbing criminals, who have been on the run for years.

Watch the trailer here:

What works? (Spoilers ahead)

Sooryavanshi is a welcome addition to Rohit Shetty’s cop universe and is sure to be an edge-of-the-seat watch. However, the film is much more than just an action drama. Although there are car chases and action sequences across the land, air, and sea, the film taps into much more.

Starting from the very beginning, the film begins by giving viewers a glimpse into the terror attacks that turned Mumbai upside down in 1993. It also included the 2008 blasts that took place in prominent areas of the city including The Taj Mahal Palace and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The film follows Akshay Kumar’s character, who must stop the biggest attack on the city, that is close at hand. He is determined to protect the city after it is uncovered that 600 kilos of RDX, that were missing from the 1993 attacks will be used for the impending blasts.

Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh’s entry into the film takes place at crucial moments and also adds some humour into the action-packed sequence of things. The duo enters as Bajirao Singham and Sangram Bhalerao respectively, with their individual title tracks, that bring back memories for cinephiles.

The film also sees several emotional and romantic sequences. It is revealed in a flashback that Riya, played by Katrina Kaif, parted ways with Sooryavanshi after the duo tied the knot and had a son together. She came to the decision after her husband put her life and their child’s life at risk to catch criminals at a mall. Riya then decides to leave the country and settle down in Australia with her son. This is when the audience begins to connect with Sooryavanshi and experiences the heartbreak and regret he goes through every day.

However, the climax of the film sees Sooryavanshi going through thick and thin to save Riya’s life. Sooryavanshi must race against a ticking bomb to save the mother of his child, with the help of Singham and Sangram Bhalerao. The scene is one that will be sure to have the audience at the edge of their seat.

The film also taps into religious harmony and the concept of not being divided by religion but helping each other as Indians. One of the scenes in the film involves those praying in a Mosque and Temple to evacuate the premises immediately, as one of the bombs planted is near the location. As Hindus from the temple try to save a Ganesh Idol, by picking it up and reaching it to safety, Muslims fleeing from the Mosque realise they need help and rush to their aid without a second through. With music being an important part of the film, the patriotic song, Hum Hindustani begins to play, making for a goosebump moment.

What doesn’t work?

Although the film has several action sequences, to those who are not huge fans of the genre, it may seem like a tad bit too much. Additionally, few of the action scenes seem extremely unrealistic and may detach viewers from the sequence of events taking place on the big screen. Apart from this, the film spans several time periods and may tend to confuse viewers at times. Sooryavanshi also includes romantic sequences, but their transition into the action-packed sequence of things seems abrupt in some parts of the Rohit Shetty directorial.

Sooryavanshi review: Final thoughts

Being one of the most anticipated Bollywood theatrical releases, Sooryavanshi is definitely a much-watch. Apart from evoking feelings of patriotism and being an action-packed adventure, it also contains romance, emotions and is an overall entertainer. Additionally, there are also scenes in the film that hint at an upcoming sequel.

Reviewer Rating: 4/5

(Image: Instagram/@rohitshetty)