Vedaa Movie Review

Director: Nikkhil Advani
Star Cast: John Abraham, Sharvari Wagh, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 151 Minutes
Review Rating: ⭐⭐(2/5)

Script Analysis
Aseem Arrora’s script delivers cliched and absurd moments to the extreme. The film opens with an anti-terrorist action sequence, which does little to connect with the main plot. Abhimanyu, after losing his wife (Tamannaah Bhatia) to terrorists, faces a court-martial and dismissal, becoming a bitter and frustrated soldier.

In Rajasthan, a caste-driven system dominates. Vedaa (Sharvari Wagh), a headstrong Dalit girl, dreams of becoming a boxer and has studied law. Jitendar Pratap Singh (Abhishek Banerjee), the village pradhan, remains a tyrant who believes caste discrimination and gender inequality come from divine will. He assigns Abhimanyu as the assistant boxing coach. When the club refuses Vedaa entry, Abhimanyu secretly trains her.

Vedaa’s brother falls in love with Jitendar’s daughter, and they elope. The upper-caste Pradhan enforces brutal justice, and his men pursue Vedaa and her sister, Gehna. Gehna convinces Vedaa to flee, leading to their escape in a decrepit ambulance that still runs despite being unused for five years.

Their journey aims to reach Vedaa’s uncle’s village, but Jitendar’s men chase them, and Abhimanyu fights them off. When they arrive at the uncle’s home, he betrays them to Jitendar’s men and the police. Vedaa constantly reminds Abhimanyu of her determination to reach a specific court to file a legal case, given her knowledge of legal matters.

After much brutality, they finally reach the court, but so do the villains. Jitendar and his men bomb the court, forcing judges into hiding. Abhimanyu fights and defeats all the villains, leaving viewers wondering why any legal case was necessary when violence resolved the conflict.

The film’s title, Vedaa—Samvidhan Ka Rakshak, misses the mark grammatically. Instead of empowering Sharvari’s character as the “Protector of the Constitution,” the title misleads audiences into thinking Vedaa refers to John Abraham’s role.

Star Performance
Sharvari Wagh delivers an adequate performance as Vedaa. However, after her strong roles in The Forgotten Army, Munjya, and Maharaj, this film wastes her potential. Her role as Vedaa suffers more from weak writing than from the character’s identity as a Dalit.

John Abraham engages in intense action sequences, attempting to convey fire through his expressions. However, the actual action scenes save his performance. It’s time for him to choose better patriotic films rather than continuing with mediocre ones.

Abhishek Banerjee dominates with his quiet, menacing portrayal of the villain. He masterfully plays a heartless character with a plastic smile. Ashish Vidyarthi feels underused, while Tanya Malhara impresses as Gehna. Most of the supporting actors overact significantly.

Direction and Music
Nikkhil Advani’s direction leaves much to be desired. Despite the noble intentions behind the film, the execution is clumsy, with little attention paid to logical storytelling or character consistency. The film’s pacing is erratic, and many scenes feel unnecessary, detracting from the core message.

The music, composed by Vishal-Shekhar, fails to leave a lasting impact. While tracks like “Mummyji” and “Holiyaan” are meant to lighten the mood, they feel out of place in a film that attempts to tackle serious social issues. The background score is unremarkable and does little to enhance the film’s emotional weight.

The Last Word
Vedaa is a film with noble intentions that ultimately fails to deliver on its promise. The convoluted plot, underdeveloped characters, and over-the-top action sequences overshadow the film’s core message about caste injustice and social inequality. While John Abraham and Sharvari give commendable performances, the film’s lack of coherence and depth makes it a disappointing watch.

Must Read: Khel Khel Mein Movie Review