Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Director: Kannan Iyer
Writer: Darab Farooqui, Kannan Iyer
“This is the country’s radio calling on 42.34 meters (wavelength) from somewhere in India to somewhere in India.”
The 2024 Bollywood movie “Ae Watan Mere Watan” is a historical drama set in the 1940s, celebrating the life of real-life freedom fighter Usha Mehta (Sara Ali Khan). Alongside her close associates, Usha founded an underground radio station to sustain the “Quit India Movement” against the British. This initiative was after the arrest of Gandhi, Nehru, and several other leading Congress leaders for “unlawful activities,” leading to the declaration of Congress as illegal.
While “Ae Watan Mere Watan” starts with a tense teaser scene of Usha evacuating a building, the moment shifts to a flashback, where Usha is introduced as a feisty little school-girl, who witnesses British authorities brutally beating her teacher and she is the only brave student who attempts to shield him. She grows up to be a Congress activist, firmly believing in the need for India’s independence, even though he own father is a judge under the British Raj.
Sachin Khedekar convincingly plays Usha’s father, who attempts to be a disciplinarian and prohibits his daughter from taking part in Congress’ activities against the Raj, but the rebellious Usha defies him. Despite a ban She goes on to start her own underground radio channel to help fan the “Quit India Movement” and reach millions of Indians. But Sara Ali Khan’s inconsistent portrayal of Usha Mehta is the undoing of this historical British era drama, which despite its interesting premise, is weighed down by its lead actor.
Khadi sarees, braided hair, and a bindi aren’t enough to portray a firebrand. Sara’s depiction of Usha oscillates between serious and laughable. “Come, let’s go hoist our flag,” Usha exclaims in a burst of patriotic fervor, urging her comrades to raise the Indian flag as the British lower it. I couldn’t help but laugh at that moment because it was meant to be emotional, yet Sara’s delivery resembled that of a school play. Emraan Hashmi, who viewers are used to seeing in steamy romances, was a lot more convincing, and believable in his supporting role as freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia. Lohia serves as both an inspirational figure and mentor to Usha and her band of friends in “Ae Watan, Mere Watan.”
The cinematography of the film partially succeeds in evoking British Era India; however, there are glaring elements that do not align with the historical timeline. For instance, in 1942, a character is depicted wearing a low-cut crop top with flared sleeves and a mini-skirt, reminiscent of the “Bobby” look popularized by Dimple Kapadia in her 1973 film “Bobby.” It’s puzzling that no one on the film crew noticed the outfit’s anachronistic nature. While seemingly a minor detail, it stands out conspicuously.
Anyway, it isn’t like “Ae Watan Mere Watan” is a historically accurate account of Usha Mehta’s life or how her clandestine radio channel came to be. A disclaimer at the beginning of the film highlights the fact that this is only “inspired by real events”, so the writers take quite a few creative liberties with the plot, including an unnecessary small romantic sub-plot. The climax features an almost childish conflict between Usha and a friend regarding a daring mission that would undoubtedly result in their imprisonment or even worse consequences. Again, the scene was unintentionally funny, and the dialogue writing was un-inspirational.
This movie made a commendable effort to honor lesser-known freedom fighters. However, with some adjustments in casting, improved dialogue, and deeper research, “Ae Watan Mere Watan” could have reached greater heights. For a more captivating narrative about defiance under oppression, viewers might find the Netflix series “All the Light We Cannot See” more gripping, which is about a young blind girl illegally running a radio channel under Nazi-occupied France.
Rating: 5 on 10. You can stream “Ae Watan Mere Watan” on Prime Video.
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