Vedha review: A blaring revenge story led by a very impressive female cast and, of course, Shiva Rajkumar

3/5

Story:

Spoilers ahead...

Review:

There's an interesting correlation between Shiva Rajkumar's massive stardom and the box-office results of some of his recent outings. There isn't an inkling of doubt regarding how much he is adored as a scion and a superstar but, at the same time, his films of late have somehow not found the commercial approval that one expects. But that doesn't deter the 60-year-old actor who, while enjoying his place in the sun, is yet to grow complacent and has evidently decided to make the best of what's left in his hay years as a leading man. In the same vein, one sees a shift in his stance as he gradually makes way for pivotal & meaningful discussions to take centre stage in his movies and allows his stature to be only a lure of some kind for his many million fans.

In the last few of his films, one finds Shiva Rajkumar worrying less about his position as a star and more about the world around him. Vedha, his fourth film with filmmaker/choreographer A. Harsha, is a shining example of this.

By all means, Vedha is a revenge saga and A. Harsha (also the writer) has no qualms in announcing that emphatically. The film's opening scene reveals that we are going to be taken back in time, as an elderly woman recounts the story to her young granddaughter - on one hand, the writer uses this as a trope to build the legend of Vedha, to hand-hold us into the alluring world that is set in the 1960s and '80s. But on the other, he also uses the 'recounting' motif to enunciate that the film's central concern, that of sexual violence against women, is still very much a relevant one, regardless of the era in time. In this and many other regards, one finds Vedha to be A. Harsha's most discerning film to date and as much as it is submerged in the mainstream, the writer-director exhibits such clarity in intent that you are likely to remain glued to the screen the whole time.

And though it may seem in certain segments that he is in search of brownie points for selecting a "poignant" topic, the viewer also realizes in the same vein that he, along with the entire core team, is uncompromised in driving their message home. The approach is quite certainly loud and wishy-washy (even cringe in some parts) because it emerges from a strong male gaze, and the writing too sometimes refuses to humanize its women, but the film works mainly by lending a great platform to its female cast to flex its muscles. 

One of the more glaring aspects of the film, which is likely to surprise the viewer, is that it isn't a Shiva Rajkumar vehicle. Although he plays the titular role, the veteran actor is benevolent enough to let the subject matter take precedence and as much as his star is celebrated in the action portions, none of it, luckily, seems overbearing. The entire ethos of Vedha is aggressive but A. Harsha seems keen on letting his two female leads, Ganavi Laxman (as Vedha's wife Pushpa) and Aditi Sagar (also Shwetha Changappa), land some of the biggest and best punches. Both actors are refreshingly boorish on screen and manage to light up the screen every time they pick up a machete - while Ganavi Laxman forays into unexplored territories with her stark 'macho' performance, Aditi Sagar impresses in her debut outing with a stealthy, almost chilly on-screen presence. 

Shwetha Changappa of Majaa Talkies fame too gets a meaty role to her name and the actress puts on a memorable show. The rest of the cast includes veteran actress Umashree, Veena Ponnappa, Raghu Shivamogga, Jaggapaa, Cheluvaraj, and Vinay Bidappa (of K.G.F: Chapter 1 fame), among others who fit well into the narrative.

Art Director Ravi Santhehakklu and cinematographer Swamy J. Gowda need a special mention for combinedly creating an intriguing world of Vedha - while the former keeps the set pieces and embellishments to the bare minimum, not letting the production design be an in-your-face facet, the latter (along with colourist Ashirwad) imbues the visual palette with a sense of doom and tragedy - the blend of muted, greyish tones and striking warm colours work perfectly well. Arjun Janya's background score and song numbers are unabashedly thumping and loud but the soundtrack has enough richness to elevate the mood of the cinema hall.

Verdict:

When was the last time you found a group of men raving about the female cast of a Kannada film headlined by a major superstar? In an attempt to witness the Shivanna fandom at its rawest, I caught the 5 a.m. show in Bengaluru and it'd be safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. While the veteran actor had his dedicated share of hoots and whistles, it was the female cast that shined the brightest and the entire hall bustled with pride and joy every time one of them delivered a blow or a juicy punchline. Vedha, that said, isn't devoid of concerns and one might find the transgression of the film a bit too alarming and implausible, given the sensitivity of the subject matter. But the film has the heart in the right place and aside from all the contrivances, it is an enjoyable watch.