Kesari Veer

Kesari Veer Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Sooraj Pancholi, Vivek Oberoi, Suniel Shetty, Akanksha Sharma

Director: Prince Dhiman and Kanubhai Chauhan

What’s Good: The background music dedicated to Lord Shiva in some sequences and the representation of the Gujarati culture.

What’s Bad: Shabby VFX and action sequences, performances of the lead star cast, the film lacks emotion and depth despite such a strong subject, and overall a poor execution.

Loo Break: You can take one during the songs or anytime during the film. It won’t be a mammoth loss.

Watch or Not?: Can wait for the OTT release of this one unless you need something to binge on over the weekend.

Language: Hindi

Available On: Theatrical Release

Runtime: 161 Minutes

User Rating:

Imagine having a soul-stirring subject that speaks of the courage and valor of the Saurashtra soldiers who laid down their lives to protect the divine Somnath temple from the Tughlaq invasion. But still, somehow, the emotions of the Prince Dhiman and Kanubhai Chauhan directorial Kesari Veer just do not come across. While the execution falls flat on the surface, the performances also come across as half-hearted and dismal.

Kesari Veer revolves around the martyrdom and bravery of Saurashtra warrior Hamirji Gohil who also hailed from the royal family of Athirla in Gujarat. He stood like a mountain against the Tughlaq tyrant ruler Jalaluddin Zafar Khan who wanted to invade the sacred Somnath temple. The movie is a tribute to the prowess of Gohil and many other warriors and villagers who stood strong against the Tughlaq invasions because of their devotion to Lord Shiva.

Kesari Veer Movie Review: Script Analysis

The screenplay and the overall execution of Kesari Veer is one of the significant drawbacks of the film. The dialogues almost look preachy and straight out of a school play. The editing especially in the second half appears to be laborious which tediously adds to the pace of the film.

Some parts look eerily similar to Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava but lack the emotional connect. Not only is the script and screenplay weak but what adds to the misery is the lethargic performances of the star cast along with the shabby VFX. The only solace for Kesari Veer appears to be the representation of the Saurashtra culture which is effectively ingrained in the storyline.

Kesari Veer Movie Review: Star Performance

The performances of the star cast are another weak link of the film. Sooraj Pancholi is the primary face of Kesari Veer, essaying Hamirji Gohil but somehow his performance lacks the emotion and intensity required for the character of such a strong calibre. He only creates a little impact in the climax during the battle sequence but otherwise we struggle to strike a chord with him especially during the flat monologues and the one-tone expressions. However, the actor has worked hard on his physical attributes for the role which should be appreciated.

However, Vivek Oberoi and Suniel Shetty despite being veterans, appear to be extremely lousy and lethargic in their performance. Vivek as the main antagonist, Jalaluddin Zafar Khan is reduced to a Sasta version of Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji while Suniel Shetty’s maximum effort as the Bheel tribal leader Vegdaji is only giving out melodramatic stills during the action sequences. It was a sheer waste of two strong performers who clearly seemed disinterested in their performances. Akanksha Sharma as Rajal, Hamirji Gohil’s love interest looks beautiful but does not have the needed spark in her performance. Nor does her chemistry with Sooraj Pancholi fleshes out intensely. However, it was wholesome to see cameo performances by the legendary Aruna Irani and former Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah star Bhavya Gandhi.