Son of Sardaar Review

Rating: ***

Though 'Son of Sardaar' has been pitched as a quintessential Diwali entertainer, the sparks and explosions are limited to one half of the film. Frankly, you do want the film to be indeed a 'paisa vasool' affair but if at all the film has to be seen till the very end, it has to be with curbed expectations without looking at it as a huge 'dhamaka' in the offering.

The core plot of this Ashwani Dhir directed film is quite interesting. Scions of two warring families meet in unexpected circumstances and while one (Sanjay Dutt) has revenge in mind, another (Ajay Devgn) is happy-go-lucky who wonders what the fuss is all about. While they are tied by one common thread (Sonakshi Sinha), the 'usool' of Dutt, which is about not hurting a guest within his own house, helps Ajay to stay alive. However the question is - 'For how long would Ajay manage to safeguard his life?'

Imagine the possibilities of one man just refusing to step out of his very enemy's house after knowing the terms and conditions. However, and sadly, it is this very point that ends up bringing in boredom into the film. The signs are there 15 minutes before the interval point itself when Ajay tries all means to save himself. The whole sequence is so long drawn that the one starts getting apprehensive about the overall film, despite the fact that the makers had set it all up so very well.

One's fears are not unfounded as the second half continues to dip at an alarming pace and almost comes to a dead end 15-20 minutes before the end credits start rolling with the song 'Po Po'. Three to four songs come in quick succession during the middle of this half of the film and by the time the pre-climax fight sequence begins, the interest level has already gone down in a major way.

Agreed that logic didn't really require much place in SOS but then as long as there is good enough entertainment in the offering, one doesn't mind what plays on screen. In fact it is this very factor that results in the film's first half pass away like breeze. Ajay's introduction, the fight at the night club, Salman Khan's entry, Sanjay Dutt's introduction, Juhi Chawla angle, Sonakshi Sinha's sequence at the railway station, the whole 'naariyal' episode, the interaction between Ajay and Mukul Dev, the chase that follows - one is totally sold with the core idea about SOS being an unabashed entertainer.

However when things refuse to move in the second half, the alarm bell starts ringing. Dutt's various attempts to bring Ajay out of the house lose humour while the love story between Ajay and Sonakshi just fails to develop. Excessive songs further mar the narrative  while seeches by the bunch of women (Juhi Chawla, Tanuja) take a filmy turn. Also, the cry of 'all is well' turns out to be way too convenient.

Ajay is good as a goofy Sardar and is especially delightful in the first half. Sanjay Dutt is required to be loud and he does that with full gusto, especially with his 'sher-o-shaayari. Sonakshi is nice-n-cute, again in the first half till she reaches her village. Juhi Chawla is charming and it appears as of the lady hasn't aged a year since she turned 30. Mukul Dev is fantastic in a role that is pretty much an extension of the part he played in 'Yamla Pagla Deewana'. Vindoo Dara Singh is decent. Tanuja is functional. Salman is passable in his cameo.

The way SOS begins, you are convinced that this is indeed a Diwali 'dhamaka' entertainer that was promised by Ajay Devgn for all these months. Action, comedy, drama, romance - just about everything takes place in those quick-fire 45 minutes. However, what turns around the fortune for the film (and that too in not so positive manner) is the film's second half. It entirely dilutes the entertaining quotient, hence lending the film the status of a barely passable affair. Now that's not quite heartening for SOS that had so much going for it, both from the premise as well as kick-start perspective, to go the whole hog.

Rating: ***