Vedaa, a violent thriller about caste discrimination directed by Nikkhil Advani from a screenplay by Aseem Arrora, differs from typical Bollywood action flicks in a few ways. That is not to suggest that it is devoid of clichés. However, generally speaking, it also has the right heart. A young Dalit woman who is being persecuted is at the center of Vedaa’s story, and the reader follows her until the very end. That is a huge deal for a blockbuster Bollywood movie with star actor John Abraham producing it. Remarkably, he not only gives his female co-star Sharvari a good amount of screen time.
#Vedaa
The movie revolves around Dalit-upper caste divide; honour killings; how politicians use & misuse this divide!It’s a Mirzapur kind of drama with a social cause!
The point is “Dalit girls are getting educated but they are entangled in casteism leading to frustration in… pic.twitter.com/VVAczKtVlw
— Anu Sehgal 🇮🇳 (@anusehgal) August 17, 2024
A Tale of Resistance: Vedaa’s BattleÂ
The pugnacious title character’s willingness to engage in fight, even in situations when she has to rely on a hardened-as-nails soldier turned boxing coach for cover fire, is another noteworthy aspect of the story. She battles for equality and decency, which are fundamental rights. She is a law student and swears allegiance to the Indian Constitution, but she doesn’t always follow the rules of the letter.
Her survival technique may not seem as difficult to understand as it seems at first blush, especially in the context of the horrific crimes done against her and her family. With her back to the wall, the girl must follow the rules set by the men who chase her out of the community. That being said, despite its noble main goal, Vedaa makes the mistake of starting, albeit briefly, with terrorism, Kashmir, and POK to demonstrate the courage and bravery of an army officer who goes above and beyond on an extraction mission.
John Abraham and Sharvari: A Powerful On-Screen Duo
The films D-Day (2013) and Batla House (2019), both directed by Nikkhil Advani and based on real-life events or personalities, are the origins of this concept. While the latter focused on the immense strains faced by city police officers during and after an anti-terror operation, the former included a suspended army officer as a major character.
Vedaa is a film based on actual events, such as the killings of inter-caste couples in north India. The film tells the story of a soldier and a Dalit girl who fight against the village head, his henchmen, and the police. The terror in Vedaa originates from a lopsided power structure and a lawless village. The male protagonist, Major Abhimanyu Kanwar, is dismissed from the army after capturing a wanted terrorist in Kashmir.
The Boxing Metaphor: Symbolizing Vedaa
He returns to his wife’s village and finds a job as an assistant boxing coach. Vedaa Bairwa, a lower caste girl, expresses her desire to be a boxer, but is given a bucket and mop to clean the arena. Abhimanyu takes her under his tutelage and protects her, ensuring she reaches the high court to appeal for justice. Vedaa’s struggles are symbolized by the five keypunches of boxing, such as jab, cross, hook, uppercut, and body shot. The film occasionally manages to tide over its troughs with John Abraham’s performance and Sharvari’s convincing performance.
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