Review: SOORMA

Soorma Starts Out As A Cool Sports Film

But 'Chak De!' It Is Not...

2.5 stars

Mini Review:

Sandeep Singh struggles to get himself a place in the Indian

team, and just when he’s making a name for himself as an

International hockey player, a gunshot paralyses him. His

rehabilitation comprises hard work and comes back to the

field and becomes a huge star. The biopic is delicious in

the first half, but the predictability of the second half

brings it down.

Main Review:

A little town Shahbad in Punjab has young people working really,

really hard to make it to the team, any team. But young Sandeep

is in the eye of the storm for being a slacker. And coach sir

(played with brilliant cruelty by Danish Husain) is unforgiving. He

knows that there are many kids hungry to get on to a team and

only strict discipline will get you there. Sandeep is ready to take

on the punishment meted to him, but has a rebellious streak,

which earns him severe beatings. Especially because his

attention is distracted by a pretty, sassy hockey player Harpreet

(played well by Tapsee Pannu).

His brother Bikramjit Singh is also a hockey player (but does not

get selected to the India team) discovers that Sundeep (now

relegated to looking after the crops after severe beating from the

coach) has a rare talent. That talent is flicking the ball into the

goal which earns him the title of ‘Flicker Singh’ and a place in

the Indian team.

The film has been written with a great sense of humor which

makes you want to be part of Sandeep’s family. Diljit Dosanjh

plays Sandeep Singh convincingly. He has a natural charm that

wins the audience over easily. And yes, he can dance! His

romance with Tapsee Pannu is very sweet and fun, a quality not

seen in recent crop of Bollywood films. Angad Bedi who plays the

older brother is surprisingly good. The connection between the

brothers is enviable and will bring a lump to even the most

cynical throats. The film is shot beautifully and intimately, which

makes the first half a breezy watch.

The second half though is as painful as Sandeep Singh’s

rehabilitation from a paralysing injury. It drags on and on so by the

time we reach the final grudge match between India and Pakistan,

you are tried. You do not come away as joyous and overwhelmed

as you did after you watched Chak De. You are just awed by the

fact that Sandeep Singh holds the record for the world’s fastest

flick even today, but glad that the film is over. Hockey is not cricket

in India. But definitely the choice of sport in the North. The music

is inspiring and the love song (Ishq di baajiyaan) is eminently

hummable. The Soorma anthem is memorable, but the dance

number is so Punjabi, and not easy to understand at all. Despite

many wonderful things, this film feels like a drag. Perhaps some

day, a hockey film will inspire us as Chak De did.

(this review appears on www.nowrunning.com)