There was a quote that I had read a long time ago that ever since has been etched in my brain. It said, ‘the strongest drug that exists for a human is another human being.’ It shook me the moment I read it because I understood the intensity and knew its hold but only as I grew older did I truly experience it.
And my god. It is something else. Potent and deadly at the same time.
The things that you do for another person are unparalleled and nothing that could be compared to the things that you would do for yourself. Scary, but I guess that’s what inspiration, muse and even just plain simple revenge growth is. It’s born when another human being comes in your life or when one walks out.
Soorma that literally translates into ‘storm’ in English, is the biopic of Sandeep Singh Saini the now ex-captain of the Indian Hockey Team, delivers true to its name. It’s a storm that you would enjoy getting caught in and the one that brings out the raw human emotions of love, life, goals, the great fall and finally, the rise from the ashes. Starring Diljit Dosanj and Tapsee Pannu in the lead roles, Soorma is a Bollywood film in real life, brought back to Bollywood by writer director Shaad Ali.
A real life story that has all the components of gripping tale, Soorma’s strong subject and the characters that lived it are undoubtedly the USP of the film. Now how can you make a tale of triumph a greater one is the task at hand. Two minutes into the movie and you know the star cast of the movie is one that has been carefully curated and brought together as the child artist who plays the young Sandeep Singh wins your heart. In under two minutes that kid and the director assure you that you are in for a treat.
Diljit Dosanj who is slowly setting in has finally announced his arrival in Bollywood and can no longer be restricted to the regional cinema fine actor/singer tag. The innocence that I believe that was required for the character, as he was in his early twenties when he first tasted international success, has been acted out impeccably by Dosanj. Taapsee Pannu is a breath of fresh air and so perfect for the Punjabi Kudi part that her naïve looks and strong screen presence flow seamlessly with the character that she portrays. After a long time, I’ve seen the two lead actors share a strong onscreen chemistry that embosses their emotions further resulting in a pair that you wouldn’t mind seeing again.
Angad Bedi, Satish Kaushik and Danish Hussain who play Sandeep’s elder brother, father and coach respectively all deserve special mention for their art and fine acting skills. But Harry Tangiri played by Vijay Raaz steals the spotlight in a performance that is bound to garner accolades and I hope meatier roles here on that this stupendous actor deserves. Giving life and color to the role of the Indian hockey team coach, Raaz has proved his mettle all over again. An absolute delight to watch!
A story as such has been backed by simple yet powerful dialogues keeping the rawness and earthy tones of the characters and the surroundings intact bringing a fresh, realistic feel to the entire presentation. Tracks and Background score are the root cause of goose bumps in a sports drama and thus with Shankar Ehsaan Loy you can be sure to achieve that impact on your audience. ‘Ishq di Baajiyaan’ penned by Gulzar Sahab and voiced by Dilijit himself, is the soul of the film that is going to play on loop now from playlist with the title track of the movie coming in a close second.
A running time of approximately 132 minutes the movie could definitely use further editing. It does start to drag its feet around the middle but then makes up for the pace in the second half. Predictable in a way the usual Bollywood stories are, but when you remind yourself that this a biopic, the intensity of the film, its characters and emotions start to sink in and I personally relived the Chak De India experience because of the hockey connect. It’s definitely worth a watch as prior to this film, I had no idea who Sandeep Singh was and what he had lost and won in a short span of time. A feel good, motivating movie that reinstates your belief in miracles and that they do really happen when you decide to get back into the game and give it your all making you, the magician of your destiny. #soormareview #soorma #diljitdosanj #taapseepannu #flickersingh #sandeepsingh
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