Ae Watan Mere Watan
Cast: Sara Ali Khan, Emraan Hashmi, and Alexx O’ Nell
Director: Kannan Iyer
Platform: Prime Video
Rating: 2/5
Sara Ali Khan is one of the most popular young stars in the Hindi film industry. The actress has impressed fans with her glamorous reel image and stylish dance moves. There is, however, a perception that she is yet to push her limits as a performer. This week’s release ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ had the potential to be a gamechanger to her on this front but it ends up being a missed opportunity.
Commendable plot, weak execution
The film, set in pre-independence India, centres on a principled young woman named Usha (Sara) who strongly supports the freedom movement even though this does not sit well with her father (Sachin Khedekar). Disturbed by the atrocities committed by the British, she illegally sets up a a radio station to communicate with the masses. Ram Manohar Lohia (Emraan Hashmi) soon comes to know about their efforts and tries to transform their revolt into a full-fledged revolution. This sets the stage to an intense showdown between these bravehearts and heartless British Raj.
‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ is essentially an underdog saga that highlights the courage of freedom fighters and the makers need to to be lauded for choosing such a relevant subject. Its impact, however, is diluted because of the lacklustre execution. Well-fleshed characters and a genuinely emotional narrative are the hallmarks of a dog underdog saga. ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ , unfortunately, falters on both fronts. The makers fail to explore Usha’s strained yet tender relationship with her father properly. There are a few touching sequences here and there but that’s about all.
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Similarly, her equation with Fahad, her friend, was a promising subplot that deserved more prominence. The emotions don’t feel organic because of the half-baked screenplay. This is quite unfortunate as it dilutes the impact of an inherently emotional scene between Usha and her father. Additionally, this shortcoming limits one’s interest in the cat and mouse game between the freedom fighters and the authorities in the second half.
Sara Ali Khan fails to deliver
Coming to the performances, Sara is sincere in one of the most challenging roles of her career. Her work, however, is not upto the mark. She fails to internalise the character’s pain and also struggles to emote with her eyes. As a result, the viewers ‘watch’ her performance but never ‘feel’ it. One also gets the feeling that a Shweta Tripathi or an Alia Bhatt would have been a better choice for ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ .
Emraan Hashmi steals the show
Emraan Hashmi pretty much saves the day with his restrained and effortless performance. ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ serves as testimony of his versatility as his work here is completely different from what he did in the recently-released ‘Showtime’.
Sachin Khedekar is criminally underutilised in a role that hardly does justice to his abilities. Alexx O’Nell is at his menacing best in the scenes where he tries to hunt down the freedom fighters. The supporting cast serves its purpose.
The soundtrack is a mixed bag with ‘Qatra Qatra’ being the pick of the lot. The background score doesn’t add much to the reel action.
The final word
To sum up. ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’ could have been a riveting patriotic tale about real-life heroes. However, it ends up being a harsh reminder of how a flawless screenplay and an earnest idea is the key to a compelling cinematic experience.
