A long epic saga. Review on Veer-Zara

Yash Chopra after a seven year hiatus has returned with Veer Zaara. With a cast comprising of top names like Sharukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee, a series of cameos by talented actors like Manoj Bajpai, Kiron Kher, Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini and music by the late Madan Mohan, the expectations for this film are gigantic. Combine, with that an India-Pakistan love story, and the Yash Chopra PR machine that has billed this as an epic, this film has colossal amounts of hopes and big bucks riding on it. So the question is does it match up?

The answer really depends on what how you perceived Veer Zaara. If you actually believed that this was another Mughal-e-azam in the making, you might be disappointed. But if you expected a typical Yash Chopra candy flossed drama, you are likely to go back quite satisfied.

Veer Zaara is essentially about the love story of Veer Pratap Singh (Sharukh Khan)) and Zaara Hayed Khan (Preity Zinta). It opens with a middle-aged Veer captive in a Lahore Jail. Samia Siddique (Rani Mukherjee), a young female lawyer visits him to fight for his cause and help him return to India. The movie then cuts back 22 years when was Veer was an Indian air force squadron leader and Zaara was the daughter of a powerful Pakistani politician. Veer and Zaara met in India, when Zaara met with an accident. Veer saved her life, and helped her to reach her pilgrimage destination. On the way they fell in love. However, this perfect cross-border romance is shattered when Veer learns that Zaara is engaged to a powerful upcoming Pakistani politician (Manoj Bajpai).

Zaara returns to Pakistan leaving Veer in India hoping to forget him. However, she is unable to reconcile to her impending marriage to Manoj Bajpai. Meanwhile, in true filmi style Veer reaches Pakistan to rescue Zaara however fate has other things in store for them. How does Veer get arrested? What happens to Zaara? Will Veer be able to return to India? Will Veer and Zaara ever be reunited?

The film has been given an epic feel and thankfully Yash Chopra is able to carry it off so this does work for the film to an extent. The film also has a strong screenplay that accurately manages to convey the fact that Indians and Pakistani’s really are the same especially in the hearts of the people living in the two countries and it is really political misunderstandings that have caused these rifts. To, this effect Veer Zaara does deserve kudos for deviating from the typical Indo-Pak bashing themes. The film also has extremely well written scenes, fantastic characterizations, excellent (and realistic) production values and some fantastic performances.

However, Veer Zaara suffers due to its excessive length. Quite, evidently Yash Chopra wanted to pay a tribute to the Late Madan Mohan Singh and no doubt that some of the tunes are fantastic. However, some record had to be kept of the story and the demands of the film. Half a dozen songs until the interval point are far too many even for a musical and even though they do merge with the narrative, they act as speed breakers to the progression of the movie and the drama. The pace in parts of the first half becomes so slow that it really tells on the viewers patience. The post-intermission portions of the movie however are fantastic.

Also, a sense of de javu from DDLJ evident in numerous scenes, may be entirely intentional. However, it is unclear what the intention was and hence it does not work for the film.

However, there is no denying that Veer Zaara is a high quality film. And a large credit of this should go the actors. The supporting cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Kiron Kher, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpai and others deserve full kudos.

As for the lead trio, Sharukh Khan handles his role efficiently playing the die-hard lover boy that he has played in countless films with full gusto.

Rani Mukherjee in a supporting role gets the best lines and scenes and lends a very credible portrayal of a compassionate Pakistani female lawyer battling against a patriarchal establishment. She is truly exceptional in the court room scenes and she manages to at times steal the thunder when sharing the screen with the likes of Sharukh Khan and Anupam Kher.

However, the real scene stealer is Priety Zinta. Just when one was beginning to think that the bubbly girl next door act was starting to wear thin, she belts out a highly restrained and mature performance that will put a rest to any doubts on her range as an actress. Although, her role does not demand many loud histrionics she is required to emote and underplay which she does with great élan. She fits her role like a glove and and is extremely expressive emoting very effectively with her eyes. It goes without saying that Zinta has never looked better in any other film, and manages to blend in completely into the Yash Chopra heroine mould.

Overall, Veer Zaara is worth a watch if you can tolerate a hindi movie with numerous songs. For, those who are die hard Yash Chopra fans, you will love it. But, for those who don’t have the patience to sit through fifteen songs, watch it at your own risk.

I frankly think it is worth watching at least once.

1/2