Kedarnath

Kedarnath features an all-too-familiar love story, that gets a boost thanks to the climactic floods that devastated civilization in the mountain town of Uttarakhand, in 2013. The screenplay has its strengths and weaknesses, but through the crest and trough of dramatic waves, what stands out as a solid force is young debutante Sara Ali Khan. Her first performance on celluloid has the right amount of fire to spark a connection with the audience.

The film is based in the valleys and mountain ranges of Kedarnath and the drone-assisted cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray, which explores the picturesque settings, is impressive. The film captures the beauty of the Himalayas with crisp and artistic visuals. There's also the quaint, small-town setting, where locals treat Hindu pilgrims with utmost respect and where Muslim porters, have no qualms in praying to Shiva and sharing the faith of the devotees. The writing by Abhishek Kapoor and Kanika Dhillon, subtly reflects upon the secular dynamics of Kedarnath. There's also a brief comment on the commercialisation with hotels, malls and tourism, which has impacted the ecological balance of places like Kedarnath and contributed to natural calamities. These pertinent issues, which had a lot of potential, are briefly touched upon and then left in deep waters.

The focus remains strictly on the love story, and while Mukku and Mansoor share some beautiful moments, the narrative does take a tad too long to set up their romance. What makes up for the slow pace of the film are the performances and the CGI-driven climactic portions. They come together to create a strong, dramatic impact. Sara Ali Khan as Mukku is a live wire. She reminds you of a young and boisterous Amrita Singh (her mother) in films like Betaab and Chameli Ki Shaadi. Her confidence and on-screen charm are a testament to her ability and talent. She looks gorgeous in the desi-girl avatars and she owns every scene that she's present in. Sushant Singh, in a slightly under-played role, supports Sara's efforts, but we've seen him give finer performances before. Watch out for the scene where he sings Lata Mangeshkar's Lag Ja Gale (from Woh Kaun Thi, 1964) where his character's naivety is brought out with deftness.

For a love story, there are no romantic tracks that really hold your attention. Apart from the song Namo Namo, Amit Trivedi's music doesn't create the required mood for a love saga like Kedarnath. Director Abhishek Kapoor's attempt to make a film set against the backdrop of a natural calamity of this proportion is ambitious and sincere. The setting is what makes a difference, because the simple and predictable love story doesn't really rose above the water level. The clever use of CGI mixed with live-action shots to depict moments like cloudburst and the pilgrim city submerging underwater creates an authentic impact. The execution in these areas, along with a memorable debut by Sara, is what keeps the film afloat.

The movie has a good flow and nothing is unexpected. Love story has been brilliantly put into it with an addition of religious sentiments. Whole cast and crew have done a good job, special mention to Sara Ali Khan and Sushant who have done justice to their roles Sara being a new comer. The best part of the movie is that you don't feel stuck at one point like other bollywood movies. Over all a good movie to watch.

Great movie absolutely brilliant. If you are going expecting that you'll get to see the calamity then I'll recommend go watch the documentaries for that. This is a beautifully crafted romantic movie. Music is on point. VFX is great !!!! The story is good. The cinematography is Lovely and the message given is correct. I don't see anything wrong with the film. But we are Indians we'll rate this movie low because it might have hurt some religious sentiments of few educated illiterate people of this country. I am hindu and I appreciate this film and the message. One of those few people who consider Equality and correct things above the Religion.

People need to understand what's right and what's wrong and you don't need a religion for that.

Its a beautiful movie with Kedarnath incident in the background. Amit Trivedi has nailed it again. Dream debut for Sara and she has done it really well. And finally for Sushant - we miss you dude. You surely deserved to be in this industry for a very long time. Fantastic job in this movie. Overall casting and their performances were apt. Abhishek has delivered another class after Kai po che.

I've said it before but I am a sucker for star-crossed romance. And an interfaith relationship is icing on the cake. 'Kedarnath' is just that in a natural disaster setup. For those who are not aware, Kedarnath is a town in the Himalayas that suffered massive destruction in 2013. It was a horrific tragedy that director Abhishek Kapoor has managed to capture on the big screen.

Mansoor (Sushant Singh Rajput) is a porter who helps tourists visit temples and go on pilgrimages. He is immensely proud of what he does despite religious opposition. Mukku, a daughter of a respectable Pandit, happens upon him and is instantly fascinated by this young man. Refreshingly, she is the one who pursues him and their relationship blossoms into a gentle romance. An obnoxious fiancé, conservative parents, nothing seems to stop this couple...except impending doom. You know how the story will play out yet the last 20 minutes will still leave you awestruck and are the highlight of the movie.

Sushant Singh Rajput plays Mansoor with a quiet strength that's endearing and equally admirable. But frankly, he doesn't have much heavy lifting (metaphorically speaking, of course, since he carries a tremendous amount of weight in reality) to do. In an almost shocking turn of events a lot of the burden falls to Ms. Khan. Sara Ali Khan's Mukku is foulmouthed, stubborn, rebellious, and gets to display a range of emotions. She impresses with a confidence and attitude rarely seen in a debut film. Welcome to the movies, Ms. Khan; we're glad you're here!

Abhishek Kapoor is an unpredictable filmmaker. While he has delivered great wonders like 'Rock On' and 'Kai Po Che', his last release 'Fitoor' was painfully dull. Thankfully this time around he ups his game. He has chosen the right subject and does justice to the disaster. The romance could've used a little more time and stronger music was definitely needed. Songs are an imperative part of any good Bollywood romance and better ones would've helped heighten the emotions here. Nevertheless, the film has a Titanic-like quality that works for it.

I quite enjoyed this movie. The couple is sweet and there are some incredible shots of the valley. And seeing it fall apart is painfully effective. If nothing else, it's worth a watch for Sara Ali Khan who will walk away with all the glory.