Title: Azaad
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Aaman Devgan, Rasha Thadani
Director: Abhishek Kapoor
Where to watch: In theatres
Ratings: 3 Stars
He is (more) handsome in person. On screen he is gorgeous to look at. Blame it on his shiny jet black coat with equally deep dark mane, Azaad clearly, is the most spectacular stallion I have ever witnessed! Ajay Devgn introduced the stunning creature that Azaad is to the media fraternity at the trailer launch of the film, at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios, only to draw ‘sticky’ eyes from those who witnessed him in person. Is the Abhishek Kapoor’s film equally gorgeous? Well….
Kapoor who has given us some noteworthy and enjoyable films such as Rock On!!, Kai Po Che, Kedarnath and Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, gives us the film with a distinctive rebellious streak with Azaad that marks the debut of Ajay Devgn’s nephew, Aaman Devgan, alongside Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani. The makers of Azaad offer the backdrop of the pre-indepedence era, where Ajay is placed as a staunch rebel fighting against the indomitable and the oppressive British rule. His horse Azaad is employed both as a solid subtext than a symbol of bagaawat (rebellion) and freedom.
Writer Ritesh Shah, Suresh Nair along with director Abhishek Kapoor give us a tale where Aaman’s character Govind is enchanted by Azaad’s beauty and is adamant about mastering the ‘black beast’. Govind is a humble stable-cleaner who gets reprimanded, thanks to Jaanki (Rasha) for riding the royal stallion. Senior Devgn ( a farmer-turned-rogue for a cause) steps in tactfully and promptly to save the situation where Govind must learn to ride the otherwise rebellious horse and comprehend along the way the true nature of being a baagi and inspire rebel.
At over 145 minutes, Azaad offers the time- tested period drama, riveting emotions and patriotism. Chandan Arora’s screenplay is sharp and Setu’s cinematography is real and immersive as we are taken to the pre independence Indian province where powerful zameendar (landlords) and the British establishment oppress farmers for their own gains.The details employed here are noteworthy. The background score and the music composed by Amit Trivedi enhance the soul of the film. Birange, Ajeeb O Gareeb and Azaad Hai stand out.
As for the performances, Amaan Devgn has done justice to the narrative while Rasha exudes ease and confidence. Senior Devgn, Diana Penty and Piyush Mishra elevate the narrative with their striking performances. Had the film been 15 minutes short, it would have heightened the impact of the tale. All in all, Azaad celebrates the beauty of simplicity and simple story telling without offering much innovation or more dimensions, even if you anticipate Azaad to gallop beyond the obvious terrain.
