22 March,2024 10:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Mayank Shekhar
Sara Ali Khan in a still from Ae Watan Mere Watan
"IF not the British, then who," asks the big barrister, later judge (Sachin Khedekar), in this movie, that is set during India's freedom struggle!
What kinda person would pose such a ridiculous sounding dilemma, while reeling under a cancer called a colonial rule anyway?
Obviously the sort, who has something to gain from the Raj, in the first place. And those are rank opportunists. For whatever it's worth, at least you get where they're coming from.
But, as likely, if not more, it's gonna be somebody brainwashed into a slave mindset towards their own oppressor as well - in this case, a "Churchill ke chaheta", reciting Churchill âchalisa', worshipping at the altar of the church called Churchill!
This Stockholm Syndrome can occur, anywhere, anytime. Whether for an unabashed imperialist - or a gaslighting government, within a supposed democracy. There are so many such across the world, as we speak.
This "andh bhakti" (blind faith) is also at the centre of this film, in a way. And that's what gives it all the more a certain measure of relevance. We watch the British government, holding on to political power, primarily through curtailing information to the masses.
Namely, an independent media, that could otherwise influence people to remain anything but hypnotised bhakts, forever. Newspaper editors have been muted.
Protests are equally supressed. Political leaders have been jailed - why else are they, if not to ensure there isn't enough on-ground mobilisation of their possible followers. Quit India Movement is on an upswing still.
How do freedom fighters, or the opposition in this context, access the masses at all, with their voices of dissent? Through an illegal/pirate radio station, what else!
Who's helming this secret project? Among others, the young daughter of the very barrister mentioned above. i.e. Usha Mehta, Gandhian enough to be even sworn to celibacy!
This is her true story - of the struggle within both the family, and her nation; taking on powers several times her weight category; and staying on in the ring, for every breath she takes.
She's relatively a lesser-known character from India's independence movement. Surely, there are even more under-celebrated women.
The only other person who comes to my mind, equally charming/interesting, yet hardly chronicled, is actor Kabir Bedi's British mother, Freda. Similarly, a Gandhian, who fought against her own government for her adopted home.
Yup, Mehta belonged to the elite. As did Mahatma Gandhi himself. Indeed, many top leaders of India's freedom struggle, or across biggest movements in history, did. Which is just as well. Unless we confuse elites with elitism.
Ae Watan Mere Watan is directed by Kannan Iyer. The first time I heard his name was in regard to the crew of Ram Gopal Varma's Satya (1998). Apparently, he also wrote Varma's Daud (1999), and is probably best remembered for the supernatural thriller, Ek Thi Dayan (2013). Evidently, Iyer is a genre filmmaker.
In that sense, this film too follows the time-tested sepia-tone and exquisite production design of a proper period-piece. Could it have been any different?
Well, if you suffer from a terrible habit of imagining an ongoing movie in other ways - this could well be a strikingly pacy thriller alone, as pirate radio stations keep relocating, while cops are on a relentless chase.
I don't know; something like the Cold War spy flick, The Courier (2020), maybe? That's the most recent example I can think of.
Iyer picks a more placid vibe instead - obviously more suited to him, and co-writer, Darab Farooqui, crediting the play, Kharr Kharr, by Amatya Goradia and Pritesh Sodha, as source material.
The stress is more on the sanctity/importance of the subject, before a hopefully patient audience. Rather than relying too much on filmmaking flourishes, or indulgences, of any kind.
Speaking of history, the film opens with the iconic MGM lion's roar, as the studio logo, for an Amazon Prime Original. It's produced by Dharma. The last piece of content I delightfully hate-watched of theirs on an OTT (Disney+ Hotstar) was Showtime, with Hashmi showing up as a moronic movie-studio boss.
Hashmi enters at the 50th minute of this movie, totally redeeming himself as the socialist Congressman, Ram Manohar Lohia, that the picture's young radio pirates are rightly besotted by.
Including the female lead, Sara Ali Khan, as Usha Mehta, bang in the centre; bright and upright. This is easily Khan's most accomplished work. Which obviously isn't stating much. Given the number of fumbles over her seven-film career thus far.
Look out, equally, for Sparsh Shrivastava (the other radio-pirate). That's the lovely lad from Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies (2024).
What else to look out for, since you never asked? Honestly, being a Bombay person, Bombay itself.
That's the film's finest character - with the slogan "do or die" first delivered from Gowalia Tank; illegal radio stations operating from a flat at Alankar Building in Babulnath, Sunshine Building on Ballard Road, moving to Sitara Building on Gibbs Road, another transmitter in Santacruzâ¦
Surely, these remains can still be suitably retraced. While set in 1942, the drama feels personally close, in a literal sense, hence.
More often than not, I've been watching desi web-series lately, and wondering if it could've been rescued as a feature film. It's the reverse here.
As in, wouldn't Ae Watan⦠have been more sorted as a mini-series instead? This is a feature that, frankly, feels like long-form, prestige television. It's on an OTT. So be it then.
