MOVIE REVIEW: Kedarnath
Kedarnath
Starring: Sushant Singh Rajput, Sara Ali
Khan, Nitish Bhardwaj
Director: Abhishek Kapoor
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
The story is as old as the hills—a star-crossed romance reminiscent of movies of yesteryears. What could have given it gravitas is the backdrop: the devastating floods of 2013 in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. But flat writing and an inconsistent tone take away much of the charm of this movie touted as the “pilgrimage of love.” However, the breathtakingly beautiful visuals of the Kedar valley with its snow-capped peaks and the gushing waters of the Mandakini, and good performances by the lead pair make it watchable.
Sara Ali Khan makes a self-assured debut (barring some moments when the effort to emote shows) as the feisty and rebellious Mukku, daughter of the head priest of the temple. The romance between her and the cheerful and benevolent Muslim porter Mansoor (Sushant Singh Rajput) builds up nicely but the conflict comes off as trite. Rajput’s understated performance acts as a foil to Sara’s spirited act and it makes for a nice, breezy first half. It was nice to see Nitish Bhardwaj on screen after a hiatus.
The second half, on the other hand, has so much stuffed into it that it makes little impact. The crucial questions raised in the first half regarding communal harmony and the fragile ecosystem are flooded out by the computer-generated imagery, which sometimes borders on the tacky. What’s worse, the climax seems contrived. As people and homes are swept away in the cataclysmic floods, the film tries very hard to be poignant but doesn’t really succeed.
TOP 10 SONGS
1. Proper Patola (Namaste England)
2. Chogada (LoveYatri)
3. Morni Banke (Badhaai Ho)
4. Dilbar (Satyameva Jayate)
5. Dekhte Dekhte (Batti Gul Meter Chalu)
6. Kamariya (Mitron)
7. Sweetheart (Kedarnath)
8. Mere Naam Tu (Zero)
9. Chaav Laga (Sui Dhaaga)
10. Dhadak (Dhadak)
(Left) Badhaai Ho.
TOP 10 MOVIES
1. 2.0
2. Badhaai Ho
3. Andhadhun
4. Kedarnath
5. Stree
6. Sui Dhaaga
7. Thugs of Hindostan
8. Satyameva Jayate
9. Gold
10. Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi
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