The year is 1975 and Sholay and Deewaar have been released in India. In Punjab, our man Banda Singh Choudhary (Arshad Warsi) embodies Amitabh Bachchan’s style and Dharmendra’s romantic personality as he woos his girlfriend (Meher Vij). While the first few minutes of Abhishek Saxena’s film seems like a period-romantic drama, tragedy soon strikes when her brother questions her marrying a person from another caste (non-Sikh). Her parents silence her by saying that their family is apolitical, but the ground is set for a drama to unfold.

Banda Singh Chaudhary highlights the challenges faced by Hindus in Punjab after the India-Pakistan War of 1971, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Subsequently, fundamentalist forces from both Punjab and the neighboring country united against Hindus, leading to widespread violence. In the chaos, a militant group targeted Banda and demanded he and his family leave Punjab. True to his character, Banda challenges threats, standing up to defend his home, land and freedom.

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The subject matter is unknown in cinema, and so the filmmakers had gold. It could have presented the Hindu exodus and growing radicalism in Punjab with emotional depth. But instead, what emerges is a shallow story that never really grabs you. While the story touches on important historical issues, including the violence faced by non-Sikhs, the weak screenplay fails to connect on a deeper level. Even the villains lack menace and the stakes never feel too high. Even important moments like the villagers’ rebellion and Banda’s support lack emotional significance.

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Arshad Warsi is charming in the film’s lighter moments, but his transformation into a revolutionary feels flat. The writing doesn’t allow his character development to be solid, especially when he takes on the militants. Meher Vij as Lalli gives a strong performance and gets an important moment in the climax.

However, the overall lack of character development also lets it down. Child artiste Kiara Khanna manages to bring some charm with her innocence and cuteness. The rest of the cast, including Shataaf Figaar, Shilpi Marwaha, Jiveshu Ahluwalia and Alisha Chopra, is functional but quite uninspired.

The soundtrack is forgettable, with the only exception being the title track, though even that feels incomplete. There is some drama in the background score, but it is not enough to elevate the film. Clocking in at a slow 114 minutes, the film avoids lingering for too long, but it doesn’t make full use of its runtime to immerse the audience in the story.

With two major releases, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 clashing next week, Banda Singh Chaudhary is likely to have a short stay in the theatres. If you are already busy preparing for the celebration, you may miss it. Otherwise, if you want to skip mummy ticket then you can book the ticket house cleaning (House cleaning) order.