"Gadar 2" has emerged as this season's blockbuster, raking in substantial collections at the box office. The theaters are continuously packed with enthusiastic audiences, and the box office revenues continue to surge. Feeling a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), I was driven to secure a ticket for the film to experience what all the buzz was about.
I vividly recall watching the first installment of "Gadar" back in 2001, including the haunting melody of the song "Udja Kala Kanwa..." that has stayed with me over the years.
As the film "Gadar-2" is set in 1971, I found myself engrossed in the narrative leading up to the intermission, and even during the post-intermission segment. However, my confusion escalated as the climax commenced. This is the longest unending climax I have ever watched in a film.
Initially, I assumed that the boisterous Hindi-speaking audience in the theater were playfully ridiculing the scenes with their cheers and applause. But my astonishment grew when I realized that they were genuinely swept up in the emotional drama.
I couldn't help but lament my inability to immerse myself in the film as they did.
Allow me to recount a scene from the film: Sunny Deol's character intrudes into Pakistan in search of his imprisoned son. He races through the streets of a Pakistani city, while being chased by a crowd armed with swords and various weapons.
Abruptly, he comes to a halt, and the mob stops as well. The camera focuses on a hand pump positioned right next to Sunny Deol. Witnessing this, the mob retreats in terror.
The theater audience erupted with enthusiasm, showering Tara Singh (Sunny Deol's character) with fervent cheers and admiration.
The source of their hysterical cheer was a moment from the film's first part, released 22 years ago, where Tara Singh forcefully uproots a similar hand pump to confront Pakistani mobs. Thus, recalling this past event, the present-day Pakistani crowd fled in fear on the screen and the audience cheered in the theater. It was a humorous twist in the film!
Another memorable moment depicts Sunny Deol's character becoming weary during his quest to locate his son in Pakistan. In the midnight, he sits on a Pakistani street and begins praying to God for guidance.
He then hears the faint hum of the family song "Udja Kala Kanwa..." His steps lead him towards the sound, yet he pauses when the humming ceases. With determination, Sunny resumes humming, and his son continues the melody. Thus, both father and son recognize each other with their family song and hug passionately. Such a timeless and sentimental scene made me restless!
Regrettably, the most difficult-to-digest segment involves the father-son duo escaping from the clutches of hundreds of armed Pakistani soldiers and fanatic civilians, employing only their unarmed fighting skills.
Moreover, they manage to overpower numerous soldiers, while the Pakistan Army, equipped with an abundance of weaponry, barely fires a single bullet at them.
Astonishingly, the Pakistani Army General binds them to a pole and demands they chant "India Down Down!"
In response, Sunny Deol's son defiantly shouts "India Zindabad," testing the patience of the Pakistani General.
Swiftly, Sunny Deol breaks free from his restraints, plucks out a massive high-powered electric pole, and confronts the armed soldiers like a mighty Hulk. Although set in 1971, the film needn't mimic the dated style of that era!
I genuinely sympathize with the critics who expressed disappointment after their initial viewing.
However, the enigma remains: why is the film still drawing capacity crowds? How did it surpass "Bahubali-2" in certain aspects? What does the resounding success of "Gadar 2" signify?
It seems to indicate that the prevailing BJP wave is resonating powerfully across the nation. The film is being perceived more as a Hindu-Muslim issue than a mere India-Pakistan narrative. This perspective seems to have influenced the way the scenes were conceptualized.
The triumph of "Gadar 2" aligns with the triumphs of "Kashmir Files" and "Kerala Story." The success of even poorly executed films like "Adipurush" underscores the prevalence of the Hindutva sentiment in the country.
Particularly, audiences in North India are wholeheartedly embracing films of this nature. For them, even content open to criticism is praiseworthy if it showcases Hindutva elements and portrays Muslim extremists as antagonists.
Usha Chowdhary
