‘Son of Sardaar’ Review: A full-on masala entertainer!

GayatriSankar A certain school of thought would believe that films need to exhibit cinematic values while the other would beg to differ. For them, movies are all about entertainment, entertainment and entertainment. And as Vidya ‘Silk’ Balan had rightly said in ‘The Dirty Picture’, it’s all about providing entertainment, you see! So who cares? As long as you are able to leave your routine life outside the theatre and are ready to take a fairytale ride on celluloid, it hardly does matter. So, as India gears up to celebrate the festival of lights, Ajay Devgn’s ‘Son of Sardaar’ comes in as an entertaining treat. The multi-starrer action cum rom-com is quite a predictable story, but does unfold its share of subtle surprises. ‘Son of Sardaar’ aka Jassi (Ajay Devgn) opens the film with his incredible stunt, where he is shown riding on two horses (graphically designed, though). And it reminds you of his entry in his debut film where he dares to firmly stand across two speeding bikes. Ajay’s entry is grand, larger than life and the opening sequence is more than enough to tell you that breathtaking action in store aplenty in this film. Salman Khan’s cameo acts as icing on the cake. Jassi, who is otherwise a happy-go-lucky Sardaar, shows his better side when instigated. He is a London resident and has no idea whatsoever about his family’s past. It is only when his close associate discloses certain secrets that Jassi learns about his family, ancestral property in Punjab and most importantly – the family feud between the Randhawas and the Sandhus. And that’s when he decides to pay a visit to his pind (village). He comes across Sukh (Sonakshi Sinha) and Cupid strikes his arrow; one that goes past Jassi’s heart and as expected, turns him into a victim of the love bug with the very first glimpse of Sukh. Make no mistake in predicting what’s in store next, however. Yes, you guessed it right. Sukh belongs to the Sandhu family, headed by Ranvijay Singh (Sanjay Dutt). The Sandhu patriarch firmly believes in showing great hospitality to his guest. And leaves no stone unturned in pleasing them, even if they tend to offend them by their words or actions. So, a helpless host that he is, Sandhu holds on to his emotions until the guest takes a step out his abode, so that he could show the other side of his hospitality quite clearly. And Jassi is just a little too lucky to be a recipient of Sandhu’s hospitality. Both the parties know that they are enemies. Will Sandhu break the tradition of atithi devobhava and avenge past atrocities? Probably a show near you will help you know the rest of the story! SOS is a typical masala entertainer. It’s got all the formula of an action-packed flick. Ajay Devgn is fabulous as ‘Sardaar’ and Sonakshi, (though a Bihari), looks apt as a Sardarni. Shotgun Junior has a meaty role to play and has done justice to it. And so has Sanjay Dutt. He comes across as a rugged man with a childlike heart. His romantic scenes with Pammi (Juhi Chawla) are certainly worth a wolf-whistle. Bubbly Juhi is still a treat to watch. Mukul Dev and Vindu Dara Singh steal the show with their comic timings. The sequences that feature the two will most definitely tickle your funny bone. Ashwani Dhir’s direction is quite commendable, considering the fact that the film follows a traditional formula. The action sequences are a completely fantasy. Even Rajinikanth might seek certain tips to incorporate such hard-to-believe action sequences in his next! Nonetheless, the film is meant to be such. Himesh Reshammiya has stuck to his typical style but Sajid Wajid’s composition ‘Yeh jo halki halki khumariyan’ sung by Rahet Fateh Ali Khan will undoubtedly please your ears. Certain portions are a bit of a drag, but the comic sequences will make up for the monotony. The cast has put up a good show. Overall, SOS is worth a watch, a complete family entertainer! Ratings: Three Cheers to this one!