| 23rd March 1931 - Shaheed |
Director: Guddu Dhanoa
Cast: Bobby Deol, Sunny Deol, Amrita Singh, Rahul Dev, Suresh Oberoi & Aiswhwarya
Rai.
It is back to some history now, and it is Bhagat Singh who has captured the imagination of the Hindi film-makers, with five versions of it made. This version produced by Sunny Deol has younger brother Bobby playing the freedom fighter and Sunny himself taking on the role of Chandrasekhar Azad the fiery revolutionary who takes Bhagat Singh under his wings. But at the end of it all (195 minutes), one does get the feeling of having seen a commercial film, a bit monotonous at times, facts and history lost somewhere behind the glamour of its stars. Further, consciously or unconsciously it is Sunny's stardom that's
emphasised, rather than Bobby's appeal.
The film traces the life of Bhagat Singh from the time he was a little boy born in a family of freedom fighters, the influence on his mind of the Jallianwallabaug massacre, his leaving his family to join Chandrasekhar Azad, his distress when Lala Lajpat Rai is beaten up by Scott, and his joining hands with Sukhdev, Rajguru, Gopal and Azad to avenge Lalaji's humiliation. But Gopal identifies the wrong man, and instead of Scott. it is Saunders who is shot dead. A fugitive now, Bhagat Singh's next act is to bomb the Parliament House, where he is arrested, spends two years in jail, and finally is sent to the gallows on 23rd March 1931, with Sukhdev and
Rajguru.
Bobby Deol has attempted to bring to life the legend to the screen, but it is more of Bobby playing Bhagat Singh. Aishwarya Rai makes a cameo appearance as the unwed widow of the martyr, there being a song for her. In fact, the whole narration is
interspersed with songs and stanzas like it was in 'Gadar Ek Prem Kahani'. In the star studded cast, there is Amrita Singh as Bhagat's mother proving herself as a consummate actress. Art director Nitesh Roy and cinematographer Thiru have re-created impressively the 'Period' look and feel, and for Thiru it is his best work to date.
