VEDAA Review: A Strong Action-Thriller

The latest release on ZEE5 Global is the fantastic new action movie from John Abraham, Vedaa. With this new movie, Abraham is slowly but surely carving quite a niche for himself in this genre of films. Vedaa is about the titular character, a young woman in a rural town who faces many obstacles due to her caste and the religious hierarchy established in this village. A system enforced by a local, self-proclaimed chief. Vedaa works both as an action movie with a fleshed-out story that is easy to engage in. Read on for my Vedaa review. 

Please note that the following Vedaa review will be spoiler-free. 

 How Vedaa Blends Action With Social Commentary

Vedaa has a simple premise that is woven into layers of political messaging. The movie is about a young woman from a lower caste in rural India fighting for her life after her brother falls in love with a girl from a higher caste. While this specific idea may seem inaccessible if you’re not aware of the caste system in India, writer Aseem Arrora does a great job of getting just enough exposition and enough story to establish this world without it feeling forced. Some more clarity would work better in certain scenes, but overall the premise is pretty solid. 

The seeming offence of a lower caste in a relationship with a higher one kickstarts a hornet’s nest that sees Vedaa (Sharvari) flee for her life. She finds refuge in an ex-military man, Major Abhimanyu (John Abraham), who has nothing left to fight for. Not until she walks into his life, at least. It’s this very loose Lone Wolf and Cub story that makes up the backbone of the movie. To protect Vedaa, Abhimanyu has to go up against that villainous chief and disrupt the established status quo. Vedaa not only fights for her life but also the systemic discrimination that has put her life at risk in the first place. 

Vedaa Review Is Spoiler-Free

Images via Zee5 Global.

Vedaa’s director is Nikkhil Advani, the man who kickstarted his career with Kai Ho Naa Ho, one of my all-time favourite Bollywood movies. Since then, he’s ventured into some cool action thrillers like D-Day and Batla House, with Vedaa being his latest in this similar genre. Advani has always been an interesting filmmaker, seeing how even cliche or familiar stories feel refreshed and interesting in his hands. 

 Vedaa, for example, could easily be yet another formulaic action movie, but Advani and writer Arrora give as much attention to the story elements, the nuances of characters’ choices, and the progression of plot points in a way that makes sense and feels organic to the story. Sure, there are some fight sequences where I couldn’t help but roll an eye or two, but the overall experience has more positives than otherwise. 

 Advani’s direction is also something that I always find visually engaging. His camera techniques in certain scenes, immersive action choreography, and the way he shoots it help keep the viewer interested in the story. And this also earns him enough goodwill during the slower elements of the film. Advani crafts Vedaa with enough commercial masala to keep audiences entertained while also slipping in some social commentary. Which also doesn’t work sometimes, but I appreciate the effort. It added something new to an often-seen formula. 

 Abraham Rocks The Screen While Sharvari Surprises

Images via Zee5 Global.

None of the amazing action, fighting, framing, or visual crescendos would work if audiences don’t engage in the characters and their stories. This is where both the leads, Abraham and Sharvari, shine. Abraham brings his trademark gruff and grumpy attitude to the role of a former military man. I’m pretty sure he’s cornered the market in playing the lead in action movies where the loss of his wife motivates him to find another cause or person to save. I’ve been watching this John since Force in 2011. But it’s an archetype that clearly works for him, and as long as he keeps finding interesting twists and approaches to these familiar stories, audiences will turn up. 

But the surprise is in Sharvari, an actress I am not too familiar with but who was incredibly impressive in the role of the titular Vedaa. Sharvari had to do a lot of heavy lifting here, being the main protagonist, the emotional anchor, and who audiences had to connect with. And Sharvari didn’t disappoint, hitting every beat perfectly. While some of the more emotional moments and dialogues feel unearned, it’s more an issue with the writing than the performance. Sharvari gives a great performance, and I hope to see more of her in the future. 

Overall, Vedaa is a great action thriller that gives audiences exactly what they want. Amazing action sequences, bolstered by strong performances, and a story that is more developed than it should be, which is a refreshing change for what could’ve easily just been a fun action movie. 

Vedaa is now streaming on ZEE5 Global. 

What did you think of this Vedaa review? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to follow me on X and IG at @theshahshahid for more Bollywood movie reviews.