By Review Of Sarfira : How do you infuse drama into a real-life story without turning it into a creaky melodrama that feels like a 60s weepie? This is the challenge faced by Sudha Kongara’s “Soorarai Pottru,” a film about the creation of India’s first low-cost airline, and it’s a struggle that continues in its Hindi remake, directed by Kongara and starring Akshay Kumar.
In the remake, the original Tamil Nadu village is relocated to Maharashtra, where the story begins with a ‘ladki-wala’ party arriving to ‘see’ Vir Mhatre (Akshay Kumar). The age difference between Vir and the potential bride, Rani (Radhika Madan), is quickly addressed, setting the stage for their unconventional relationship. Both characters are ‘sarfira’ in their own ways: Vir dreams of starting a budget airline, making air travel affordable for every Indian, while Rani aspires to open her own bakery.
The film Sarfira then splits into two distinct strands:
one filled with heightened emotions (Vir’s father declaiming; Vir’s mother weeping), and the other featuring quieter, more nuanced moments where aviation mogul Paresh Goswami (Paresh Rawal) repeatedly obstructs Vir’s path. Vir’s journey includes a brief stint in the Army before he fully commits to entrepreneurship, facing numerous challenges along the way. The central question is: how do you conquer the skies starting from nothing?
In the original, Surya and his spirited partner created some endearing moments. Here, the significant age difference between Akshay kumar and RadhikaMadan is hard to ignore, and it affects not only their scenes together but also those with his two Army mates, crucial members of the team behind Deccan Air. Akshay Kumar appears older than everyone else around him, except when he’s up against his adversary, Paresh Rawal, who effectively reprises his role as a vile, classist-casteist aviation king.
Radhika Madan delivers a decent performance as an independent-minded Marathi girl, although her tendency to speak through her teeth is noticeable. The script ensures she has a strong presence, but it falters with the two men who are key to Vir’s journey. ‘Sarfira’ keeps them in the background, giving them limited development until the very end. Seema Biswas, as Vir’s mother, is reduced to a stereotypical wailing Bollywood mother, while Belawadi, playing a slimy character, disappears after a brief role.
Overall, “Sarfira” struggles to balance drama and melodrama, often leaning too heavily towards the latter, reminiscent of the sentimental films of the 60s.
