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★★★★
Directed by #KaashvieNair
Written by #KaashvieNair and #AnujaChauhan
Starring #ArjunKapoor, #NeenaGupta, #RakulPreetSingh
A grandson embarks upon a mission to reunite his elderly grandmother with her first house is a cross-cultural event that is equal parts comedic and solemn. Sardar Ka Grandson proves to be an incredibly emotive story of home, identity and family as main character Amreek (Arjun Kapoor) travels to provide his Grandmother Sardar (Neena Gupta) some solace in her final years.
Arjun Kapoor plays Amreek, a carefree and chaotic business owner living in Los Angeles who is struggling to balance his relationships and work commitments. We are not sure which direction the film is going in when suddenly, Amreek is contacted by his father to go back to India as his grandmother is unwell. The film continually stresses the importance of location and distance, particularly when Sardar’s final wishes are revealed. She confides in her grandson that she wishes to go to Lahore in Pakistan and visit the house that she built with her late husband just before Partition in the 1940s. Ultimately, what Amreek will have to do to make this a reality is far greater than anyone could have anticipated.
Kapoor and Gupta have an electric chemistry as Grandmother and Grandson, as the strong parallels between their characters allow their individual journeys to coincide throughout the film. In uncovering more about the house in Lahore, Amreek learns the harsh and painful reality of his grandmother’s past. Flashbacks to 1940s India perforate the narrative with a sweet and affectionate love story between Sardar and her husband as they sing and dance and build their home together. The music is upbeat and immerses the viewer into every scene, as well as adding fun to tender moments.
The film frequently pokes fun at the family dynamic, which is often hilarious. These fun, light-hearted moments are exemplified with short action shots that are fast-paced from the offset, also doing well to capture Amreek’s personality. Comedic timing from the actors is brilliant and does well to exaggerate the comedy-drama of the dialogue. Yet, well contrasted to this, there are dramatic moments that act as brutal historical reminders and these scenes are slower and more deliberate. In addition to an abundance of comedy, this film does well to point to a history and heritage of India and Pakistan being divided and the repercussions for those who survived and future generations. Sardar Ka Grandson’s theme of displacement is incredibly moving as we watch Amreek piece together Sardar’s story.
The journey that grandmother and grandson embark upon to get to the house is full of unexpected twists and turns, but is ultimately heart-warming as Amreek aims to heal the void in his Grandmother’s life as well as his own. Sardar Ka Grandson is a comedic and emotional story of overcoming hardship and choosing love over hatred and is well worth watching.
Sardar Ka Grandson is available to watch on NetflixUK now. Watch the trailer here:
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