Movie Review – Soorma – The Biopic Chronicling The Journey Of An Indian Hockey Legend
Soorma is a film that unearths the journey of an unsung hero, Sandeep Singh, who put his heart and soul to bring laurels to the Indian hockey team. It chronicles his journey in hockey and showcases the ups and downs of his life along with his powerful comeback after a life-threatening injury. With the cast including immensely talented actors such as Diljit Dosanjh, Tapsee Pannu, Angad Bedi, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and a brilliant director Shaad Ali working in tow, Soorma is a complete package.
The film won half the battle having Diljit Dosanjh (a Punjabi himself) in the lead, and with Tapsee Pannu, giving a tough performance, it is nothing less than brilliant. Soorma begins by showing Sandeep Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) in Shahabad, the hockey capital of India, who, like his brother Bikramjeet (Angad Bedi), is sent to Kartar Singh’s (Danish Hussain) coaching center to excel in the sport. Unable to put up with the excruciating training given by the strict coach, Sandeep (unlike his brother) soon loses determination and interest in the sport and is seen whiling away his time at his uncle’s farms.
Three things trigger Sandeep to take up hockey seriously – his brother’s failure to qualify in the national hockey team, his parents’ obsession to see at least one of their sons wearing the Indian jersey, and his dream to win the heart of his lady love and a hockey player Harpreet (Taapsee Pannu).
The first half of the film is dedicated to the making of the “flicker” Singh, whose “drag-flick” technique lands him in the prestigious national hockey team coach Harry’s (Vijay Raaz) academy. Just before the intermission, enters the scene where Sandeep is mistakenly shot by a police officer in a train journey, which paralyzes him waist-down. The second half deals with how Harpreet helps Sandeep in his tough time but soon abandons him to make him realize his worth. Thus, our hero rises from the ashes like a phoenix and plays his final match with all his heart for the country.
Once again, Shaad Ali proves his prowess in keeping the audience glued to the film, piecing together the fall and rise of an Indian star realistically. Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and soulful lyrics by Gulzar can never go unnoticed in the film.
With biopics becoming the norm in Bollywood, Soorma beams bright in this genre, though most parts of the story are predictable even for someone who is not aware of the history of hockey in India.
Watch the trailer here:
