Swargandharv Sudhir Phadke: Marathi Movie Review
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Plot: A musical biography based on the real life story of Veteran Singer and Music Director Sudhir Phadke.
Director and Writer – Yogesh Deshpande
Editor – Faisal Mahadik
Cinematography – Mahesh Aney
Cast – Sunil Barve, Avinash Narkar, Sukhada Khandkekar, Adish Vaidya
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Swargandharv Sudhir Phadke: Marathi Movie Review
The number of times we have found tranquility in Sudhir Phadke’s songs is uncountable. And to know and see on a silver screen about what he went through should have been a deep insight but this biopic “Swargandharv Sudhir Phadke” fails to paint the that real picture.
The film starts right on point with the introduction of Sudhir’s growing love for music in his childhood. Being an orphan very early in his life, he got the support of his uncles. He was put into a music school. Introduction of RSS and his love for Savarkar is portrayed as he grew up. When he was old enough, he decided to shift to Mumbai. The city of dreams comes with its own set of struggles. How Sudhir survived and flourished in Mumbai is what the film reveals showcasing different realities of the veteran’s life.
The best part about this film is its masterstroke in casting the leads. Both Sunil Barve and Adish Vaidya do an incredible job capturing the essence of who Phadke was. Other supporting cast also balances the visual weight perfectly.
The most important part in any biopic or picturisation of one’s life is keeping the story coherent and consistent. This one, like many other, loses the plot too. The film starts off on a high note but ends up shattered because of its uneven pacing. The direction and the screenplay fall apart scene by scene. At one point, you start feeling why is the life of such a great person being butchered on the silver screen.
The soundtrack is so soothing, majorly because of the original songs by Late Sudhir Phadke. The cinematography is also really engaging. The production design also brings out the 90s beautifully. The editing feels a bit jittery. The inclusion of his political inclination is a brave move and rarely seen in art biopics.
All in all, Swargandharv Sudhir Phadke, misses out big time. But it is Sudhir Phadke’s soothing songs on the big screen make it somewhat watchable.
