Kesari Veer Movie Review: Grand in scope, but struggles with storytelling

Time of India

23-05-2025

: Based on true events, the film tells the historical tale of Hamirji Gohil (Sooraj Pancholi), a warrior who valiantly stood against an army of the Tughlaq Empire to defend Saurashtra's Somnath Temple.: Director Prince Dhiman's historical drama is an addition to the slew of movies that bring to light the story of an unsung hero, capturing a lesser-known chapter of India's rich past. The first Jyotirling, Somnath, is believed to have been destroyed 17 times by various invaders and rulers. This film revisits one such episode, when the dreaded marauder of the Tughlaq Empire, Zafar Khan (Vivek Anand Oberoi), attacked the temple to plunder its gold. Hamirji Gohil, the prince of Arthila, vowed to protect the temple and fought the battle with unwavering courage.A parallel track follows the fierce Shiv-worshipping Bhil community, led by their king, Vegda (Suniel Shetty). Part of the narrative focuses on how Hamir mobilises his troops and the Bhils to confront the formidable enemy. While the battle to protect the temple remains central, Kanubhai Chauhan's story and Shitiz Srivastava's screenplay take several detours before reaching the climax. The romantic arc between Hamir and Rajal (Akanksha Sharma) plays out at random intervals, detracting from the movie's main narrative. Song and dance sequences further disrupt the flow. Hamir's interaction with the Bhil community—where he grows closer to Rajal and bonds with the villagers—also stretches the runtime and slows the film's pacing.The film's treatment—with Vikas Joshi's cinematography and action choreography by Kevin Kumar and Anand Shetty—leans heavily into stylised realism, hyper-real action aesthetics, speed ramping, and other visual techniques typical of war and battle epics. While overdoing these elements, the film also features gimmicky animation and VFX, which become glaring in scenes like Rajal protecting a lioness from poachers, cannons obliterating a forest during the climactic war, and many others.Though the film states that certain elements have been dramatised, it often stretches believability too far, such as a beheaded Hamirji continuing to fight in an extended sequence or Vegda balancing a monumental Shiv Ling on two lances to prevent it from falling to the ground. There are several inconsistencies, like Hamir and Rajal's elaborate wedding sequence right before the battle, and Zafar's army inexplicably appearing in implausibly large numbers. While the climactic battle is visually appealing, its excessive length dilutes the overall impact.Sooraj Pancholi handles action sequences well in an otherwise passable performance. Suniel Shetty, as the Shiv-bhakt Bhil leader, delivers a grounded performance, though his look feels unconvincing. Debutant Akanksha Sharma looks ethereal on screen but remains visibly raw in her craft. Vivek Oberoi as the ruthless Zafar Khan often slips into theatrics.Despite a few flashes of visual appeal,falters due to inconsistencies, length, uneven storytelling, and overdramatisation. This lesser-known tale of an unsung hero had a promising premise, but the lack of narrative conviction prevents it from taking a flight.