New Delhi:
Several aspects of Vedaa, a violent caste oppression thriller directed by Nikkhil Advani from a screenplay by Aseem Arrora, sets it apart from run-of-the-mill Bollywood action movies. That is not to say it does not have its share of cliches. But it does by and large also have its heart in the right place. Vedaa puts a persecuted young Dalit woman at the heart of the narrative and follows her all the way to the bitter end. That is an undeniably big deal for a mainstream Bollywood film that has lead actor John Abraham on board as one of the producers. It is noteworthy that he not only grants a generous amount of screen space to his female co-star, Sharvari, but also concedes the film's title to the character essayed by her.
Also somewhat unusual is the fact that the pugnacious eponymous figure, even when she has to rely on a tough-as-nails soldier-turned-boxing coach for cover fire, does not shy away from jumping into combat.