Ae Watan Mere Watan

Was eagerly awaiting Ae Watan Mere Watan, but am terribly disappointed. The lead actor's dialogue delivery is unbearable. Sara Ali Khan needs to go back to acting school. And maybe stay there as a receptionist or marketing executive. After Gaslight & Murder Mubarak, this is a hatrick of poor performances by the actress.

Emraan Hashmi did well.

The director had a good plot but messed it up midway.

Ae Watan Mere Watan is totally avoidable. Viewers may spend there time watching Maamla Legal Hai or Maharani season 3.

A better casting may have saved AWMW. The director needed someone who can act in the lead.

"Ae Watan Mere Watan" fails to hit the target, weighed down by Sara Ali Khan's stiff and unconvincing acting, lackluster dialogue, and missed chances to honor unsung heroes. Sara's portrayal lacks depth, leaving scenes flat and uninspired. The dialogue feels forced, failing to evoke emotion. The film fails the opportunity to shine a light on the bravery of forgotten heroes, opting instead for superficial storytelling.

The supporting cast of Emraan Hashmi, Sparsh Shrivastav, Alexx, and others fails to inject life into the narrative, leaving it flat.

Overall, it's a disappointing watch that falls short of its potential. "Nevertheless, the world needs to hear such stories"

Some of the movies can be avoided just by looking at the main leads. If someone like Sara Ali khan, ananya etc are in a movie as main lead, it's strict avoid. The makeup and style of Sara in this movie doesn't suit the time period. It looks more fake. And her acting is just bad. Even a child actor has more expressions than Sara.

Coming to the story it's again the usual story set during British rule. The story is slow and boring. The makers should do more research before doing such movies. Most of it looks like fiction. Need to fill some more of characters and just adding some random text here.

Ae Watan Mere Watan beautifully captures the essence of sacrifice and patriotism, shedding light on the forgotten heroes of India's independence movement. Inspired by Usha Mehta's story, the film is a poignant reminder of the untold sacrifices made for our freedom. With compelling storytelling and stellar performances, it leaves a lasting impact on the audience, igniting a sense of gratitude and reverence for those who fought for our nation's freedom. Additionally, the masterpiece background music enhances the emotional depth of the film, weaving seamlessly with the narrative to evoke a powerful sense of pride and reverence.

The story itself is bold, intriguing, and offers an important glimpse into history. It's a story that should be told and brought to light.

Unfortunately, the writing and way the story was told fell flat for me. Despite the close-ups, deep glimpses into the character's eyes, and creation of atmosphere, there was only one scene that stands out to me. One were Usha hides under a burka when the police search for her and Kaushik shows her his shaking hands when she reappears. The rest of the movie felt like the same message and image on repeat: stand up for revolution and freedom. After a while, the same scene and message on repeat is just flogging a dead horse.

What I found frustrating was the message, despite coming from the right place, did not shed any new ideas or perspectives on the plight against colonialism. Instead, it amplified stereotypes. It was the stereotyping in the film and the characters that unsettled me the most. John Lyre, the British man hunting down the revolutionaries, is portrayed as ruthless, cold-hearted, and intense to the point that he feels more like a cartoon than a human man bred to view himself as superior (pure) and take pride in his country (points that could have been paralleled and contrasted with Usha's purity and pride in country, but were entirely missed). Usha, on the other hand, is portrayed as self-righteous, ego-centric (her ideas being the purest above all others'), naive about the impact she had on relationships with family and friends, and ruthless in her intensity to revolutionize India.

The most unsetting point was the way the movie glossed over radicalization. The ability to influence and spread one's beliefs (such as through a radio) comes with intense responsibility. Usha never questions once the possible myriad of outcomes that could happen... including igniting a rebellion that may fail/may lead to needless loss of lives and bloodshed. Especially since the film stated (but did not show) that she was a Gandhian.

Overall, I look forward to learning more about Usha and appreciate the movie from bringing her plight to light.