‘Sarfira’ is the Hindi remake of the highly acclaimed Tamil film “Soorarai Pottru,” telling an inspiring man’s dream to make air travel accessible and cheap for all. With Akshay Kumar playing the lead actor, the film assures a glimpse of the original with a different flavour for the Hindi-speaking audience. Directed by Sudha Kongara, who did the original, “Sarfira” will merge high-flying dreams with earthly realities.
The Story:
Sarfira is centered on Vir Mhatre, who fosters the big dream of launching a low-cost airline that would enable the common man to fly. The boy comes from an underprivileged background in a small village in Maharashtra, and Vir has to contend with many problems—societal prejudices, financial hurdles. This story is dramatized from G.R. Gopinath’s struggle and success in setting up Air Deccan, with some cinematic liberties taken to make the narrative more gripping.
Vir Mhatre’s journey began in his village, where he dreamt big—really big—with limited resources. This aspiration was not his personal ambition but his mission to democratize flying. There are risks involved with this noble dream. From tussling with bureaucratic red tape to stiff opposition from established players in the field of aviation, his determination sees Vir through various phases of struggle. Sarfira brings into relief a vivid picture of his relentless pursuit and underlines the moments of despair and triumph.
Highlights:
Akshay Kumar plays Vir Mhatre very strongly, from determination to vulnerability; his acting reflects a man fighting against all odds in the struggle for his dream. His performance is really very captivating and inspiring. The resilience and drive to see his character through come alive in the person of Kumar. His performance will be remembered as one of the high spots that grips the viewer from the very start.
Radhikka Madan does a fine job as his wife, Rani Divekar, bringing both strength and tenderness to the role. There is no denying that both lead performances put life into the story with chemistry—though not quite to the towering effect of the original film’s lead pairing. For her part, Radhikka Madan brings emotional weight to the story in Rani, enacting the supportive but strong-willed wife who stands by Vir through thick and thin.
Additional performances by the ensemble cast, consisting of Paresh Rawal as antagonist Paresh Goswami, are substantially in the stratification of the story. Rawal, reprising his role from the Tamil original, puts forward an act of menace with oodles of charisma in his role. There is a very compelling conflict propitiated by the story, facing off against the protagonist in that mission with this aviation mogul portrayed by him.
Sudha Kongara does a great job of retaining the soul of the original while translating it into another cultural setting. This is evident from the work Kongara has done with the original material, balancing the high and low notes of emotion, making it seem very seamless. The cinematography brings out the contrast between two completely different worlds—the rural village and the city—the contrast adding to the film’s visual beauty. The imagery brings out in sharp relief the huge contrast between Vir’s humble beginnings and the high-flying world that he is aiming to conquer.
Shortcomings:
Sarfira,” however, has its own weaknesses. The film’s tone keeps changing, with excessive melodrama at times. Character development also seems less profound compared to “Soorarai Pottru,” particularly for sub-characters. The story often goes black and white; misses nuanced shades of grey that could have done justice to the story.
The generally faithful adaptation to the screenplay at times gives way to uneven pacing. Some scenes that are supposed to have high emotional impact come off as over-acted, therefore actually lessening their effect. This melodramatic approach can drain the authenticity of the film and cause some of the key moments not to feel as impactful as they should be.
Behind the Scenes:
The decision to remake “Soorarai Pottru” in Hindi was to reach a bigger audience. How far this production could retain the same emotions of the original while making the cultural adjustments required was a challenge. Change of the primary location from Tamil Nadu to Maharashtra brought some freshness, and handling it meticulously made the core of the story intact.
The filmmakers had taken enough care to retain the spirit of the original and make it feasible for the Hindi-speaking audience. This would include the adaptation of dialogues and cultural references to be more relatable to the new target audience. Yet, at times one feels that the need to be so faithful to its source material actually acts in the way of a roadblock in the remake’s pathway of excellence all by itself.
Final Score:
“Sarfira” is the appreciable attempt to bring to a wider audience an inspirational story. Akshay Kumar is exceptional in the lead, supported ably by its cast and good direction. On the downside, there is a tendency toward melodrama and no nuanced fleshing-out of the characters that dilutes its impact.
While “Sarfira” is faultless as far as cinematic execution—from cinematography to sound design—is concerned, the execution of this film’s narrative, though competent, fails to attain that exacting standard its predecessor had set in terms of emotional resonance. But it does bring an inspiring tale of perseverance and ambition, thus succeeding in being a worthwhile watch.
Conclusion:
High-ambition is what “Sarfira” stands for, just like its protagonist. While it may not reach the heights of its predecessor, it has its moments of inspiration and solid performances that give it a viewable quality, especially for the fans of Akshay Kumar. Sarfira is a product with its share of strong performances and the universality of its story. Despite all odds, “Sarfira” still makes a strong case for chronicling the never-say-die attitude of a man in the chase of his dreams and makes for a film at once entertaining and stimulating.
IMDB Rating: 8.9/10
Bookmyshow Rating: 8.7/10