Sardar movie review: Karthi shines in this film that centers on its own version of scarlet letter, and the spy business

Language: Tamil

Cast:  Karthi, Rajisha Vijayan, Raashi Khanna, Chunky Panday, Laila

Director: P.S. Mithran

Star rating: 3/5

From the very first shot, Karthi-starrer Sardar intrigues you. It is a brilliant shot of a government employee held at gunpoint in a boat on India-Bangladesh border. The resounding gunshot that pans away to reveal the title of the film promises a fascinating spy-thriller. However, that fascination is tested. In fact, the weakest point in Sardar is its first act that sets up a connection between the present and the past. Sardar is India’s most talented spy trained in the 80s, and Vijay Prakash is a police officer whose main motive is to make an attempt at living beyond the legacy left behind by his father who has been labelled a traitor by the nation’s highest intelligence agency.

The first act is where the narrative panders to formulaic concepts such as the masala-packed intro song, a romantic track and narrative montages. Of these, only the narrative montage works. The former two serve as nothing but a distraction, or more accurately, an obstacle before we as viewers can get to the heart of the story. The film picks up pace only after Vijay Prakash decides to capture a traitor of the nation, in an attempt to erase his legacy. Until this investigation, Vijay’s belief that his father had been a bad man had been absolute. After all, his father’s entire family had allegedly died by suicide. Their death only served as further proof regarding his father’s crimes. How his absolute belief is broken, the doubts that crop up in the process of his investigation, the trials that Vijay’s character experience during this time are a tale of their own.

You peel this layer away, and you learn about a controversy that is at play at large here. A conspiracy that attacks capitalism, one that blames the society for putting a price to anything and everything possible. In this case, rightly so. The more we learn of this controversy, the more we internalise it. In fact, the first thing that I did after the film ended was look into the commercialisation of waterways in countries across the world. I read about countries where it was successful and countries where it wasn’t. It is an interesting overarching theme to have for a spy thriller.

Of course, the film does pander to the suspicions that India at large has about China’s intention politically. However, it does work out in favour of the narrative. After the initial hiccup in the first act, there are certain unexpected edits and cutaways that do seem like an attempt by an amateur. In an otherwise tight screenplay that also does great at giving life to its supporting characters, these moments are irksome. The one who distracts you from such irksome moments in the film is this child — Timmy. Unlike other child actors that are forced to act cutesy, or way more mature for their age, this little guy is spot-on with his role. The role portrayed by Rithvik travels partially with Vijay before he partners up with Sardar. I say partner up because he does more to help the old man complete his three-decade-old mission. Vijay, at one point, becomes a spectator in his father’s life, and then he becomes a supporter.

It is Timmy who is aware of all of Sardar’s plans until the very end. Similarly, his mother Sameera Thomas (Laila) gets a brilliant arc of her own despite the short screen time. In fact, she serves as a turning point in both Vijay and Sardar’s life. In times when spy thrillers have one-dimensional female characters, Sardar has done better. That is not to say that there is no room for improvement. One of the characters that I was personally a tad bit disappointed with is that of Rajisha Vijayan’s. Raashi Khanna, on the other hand, gets comparatively more screen time, but she is also the love interest who exists solely for the male character’s growth.

A spy film has to be stylish, sharp and slick if it is set in the present. Since Sardar is partly set in the 80s, the stunts in the film are more brutal and physically intimate. The ways in which Sardar infiltrates enemy outposts is ingenious, yet simple. As an undercover agent, his acceptance of his role — no glory, no honour, or a nod to services provided — and the consequences that comes with it is what drives the film to the finish line. Speaking of stunt sequences, there is one that is quite inspired, where Sardar uses electricity and steam. The background score here, the editing, and visuals all come together beautifully. In fact, the high points of the film feature Sardar. The villain in this film — portrayed by Chunky Panday — is set up to perform a very popular trope in the espionage genre. While he is not the most impressive villains we have had in recent times, the film only sees him as a figure of corruption. The villain in this tale is something else entirely, and this is addressed through the film’s overarching topic.

In a film that captures the journey of a father and son in parallel, one where their fights are shows with intercuts, and their struggles overlap each other to brilliant background score, the absence of a grand reunion scene is interesting. What we see instead is Timmy act as a bridge between this father and son. It is similar to how the writers do not want to make a grandstand with their message. They make their point, show you their side of the argument and leave it to you to decide which side of history you want to place yourself at. Overall, the film comes together after its initial hiccup, and it forms a cohesive and effective narrative.

Priyanka Sundar is a film journalist who covers films and series of different languages with special focus on identity and gender politics.

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