Yodha. The title seems so ridiculous for an Indian film from 2024. This is something that co-director Pushkar Ojha and writer Sagar Ambre appear to be well aware of, as they define the title of the film at the outset. Right away, things begin to make sense. The most recent work by Sidharth Malhotra appears to be even more conscious of how far removed it is from appearing and feeling fresh or unique. Nevertheless, it manages to provide us with an experience that will not cause us to regret enrolling in any manner, despite its flaws. I think this shows how much the filmmakers value the viewers and how confident they are in their work. Yodha helped me perceive this throughout, going beyond the apparent amount of
nationalism.
Arun Katyal (Sidharth Malhotra), a Yodha Task Officer, is the protagonist of the film Yodha. After losing his father during a mission, he unites with his father, who founded the unit. The government closes this unit after Arun fails a specific task, accusing Arun of being reckless and thoughtless. After battling (due to suspension) to remain an officer of the Yodha Task Force, his valiant and effective performance in a different assignment restores the unit and grants him back the honor and pride of being an officer of the Yodha Task Force. Although the plot is simple, does that make it any less thrilling or interesting? It has been expertly handled by Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha, providing us with a moderately interesting and slightly thrilling encounter.
Writing a script with a plot like Yodha is difficult because there aren’t many interesting aspects to explore. Thus, Sagar Ambre overcrowds it with some of the most straightforward and commonplace subplots and situations. The scripting of the movie really shines when it comes to portraying them as so innocent. We don’t mind anything that happens in the first hour because there is so much going on, and nothing feels like it’s too much to take in, even if none of it is fresh in any way. The way Arun’s personal life develops and how it frequently collides with his career due to his wife Priya Katyal’s (Raashii Khanna) line of work all appear to fit perfectly into the larger story.
There were two things that happened in Yodha that really caught me off guard because I never saw them coming. I knew about the movie’s hijack, but two of them felt like extras, and more significantly, the first one’s conclusion felt really fantastic in a variety of ways. I wasn’t prepared for it to be so brief, with the police hero performing subparly. The second one challenges us to question Arun’s motivations and behaviors, even if just for a little while. This is an interesting component, in my opinion. It was giving the otherwise uninteresting plot and concept a hint of excitement. There is a battle scene in the airplane that looks like it is spinning or revolving because of a technological malfunction among the others. It appears amazing. I felt like a child again, giddy with excitement, as I saw that sequence.
Unfortunately, even though Yodha was generally engaged, these emotions were erratic. The interest level slightly decreases upon realizing that everything is being done to further the long-standing conflict between Pakistan and India over Kashmir. The way that patriotism is shown in lines that Arun says sounds like “Hero banne ka shauk” or “Iss kahani ka hero mai,” and I thought that was a little bit better. What more could I hope for from a movie where police employ tricolor smoke as a signal, I told myself then. The movie’s attempts to instill a sense of patriotism in its viewers came across as a little too lighthearted. It also helped me understand the general, not overly serious tone that the film is going for.
Yodha has the casual appearance and atmosphere of a dramatic movie, thus some could be concerned about the hero’s overly heroic portrayal. In Yodha, Sidharth Malhotra is portrayed as a hero and a larger-than-life character, but I didn’t think this affected the viewing experience too much. I thought those were very innocuous times. However, he does good in the movie. Although he doesn’t always look as natural as needed, Sidharth Malhotra’s excess of the conventional film hero charm serves both him and the film well. Tanuj Virwani and Sunny Hinduja, the other two lads in the movie, both have little roles in stark contrast to one another. Tanuj’s role was limited to being extremely kind, and Sunny appeared to be the typical evil.
Disha Patani looks amazing as usual, even if she is only wearing one costume. I was enthralled with her stunning on-screen persona. I was shocked at myself when I realized it. Sadly, Yodha holds no further information about her. Her character has an intriguing twist, but I don’t think she can pull it off in a way that would improve our viewing experience. As usual, Raashii Khanna is fantastic, sincere, and genuine. I always found myself completely adoring whatever she did when she was on television, whether it was just expressing herself, reciting her lines, or simply responding to a scenario. She was giving a flawless performance. She deserved a better movie, in my opinion, one that made good use of her skill rather than depending on it to elevate the situation. Anything by Raashii Khanna is always welcome.
In terms of technological factors, Yodha functions perfectly. Everything about the graphics and their aesthetics seemed to be in order, save for the VFX, which was either inadequate or subpar. I did occasionally take note of an outfit, a setting, the lighting, or a camera perspective. The movie’s audio was likewise flawless. The songs were arranged so they didn’t appear forced, and the background music wasn’t overly loud. I believe the editor did a good job because I never got tired watching the movie. Yodha’s goofy mood and crowd-pleasing finale may make it appear purposefully soft on itself in practically every aspect, but the film never made me feel unworthy in any way, and that, in my opinion, is its real triumph. If you want a somewhat exciting ride, this one is definitely worth a try.
