Fateh’ Movie Review: A High-Octane Actioner That Misses the Mark
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The year 2025 starts with Fateh, a stylized Bollywood action film that has Sonu Sood in a rare attempt to position himself as a solo action hero. The movie holds much promise with slick cinematography, raw action sequences, and ambitious storytelling but ultimately fails to deliver the impact it strives for.
Directed, produced, and headlined by Sonu Sood, Fateh is a visceral attempt to pay tribute to the vintage action genre. The film starts with an extremely intense scene: Fateh Singh, a smartly dressed Sonu, storms into a goon den, taking them out one by one with ruthless efficiency. But much like the film's protagonist, Sonu's yearning to gobble up every inch of space on the silver screen feels a bit stretched; the audience, therefore, receives a mixed bag of emotions.
Visually Impressive but Narratively Shallow
Action sequences by action directors Lee Whittaker and RP Yadav, and cinematographer Vincenzo Condorelli are also highly charged but in a South Korean way of inspiration. Initial scenes, consisting of roughish fight choreography, grip attention; however, towards the film's climax, one begins to feel the tired action sequence happening rather than strength.
The plot follows the undercover intelligence agent Fateh Singh, who works as a dairy supervisor in Moga, Punjab. Fateh takes on the shadowy cyber mafia led by Raza, played by Naseeruddin Shah, after a local girl, Nimrat (Shiv Jyoti Rajput), falls prey to a cybercrime network. Such a promising premise fails to come above the level of clichés in its storytelling, due to the development of characters being shallow and its narrative arc predictable.
Underutilized Talent
The biggest mistake of this movie is that it doesn't utilize the great supporting cast. Actors who have experiences like Vijay Raaz and Dibyendu Bhattacharya were employed for one dimensional roles while Naseeruddin Shah, playing a 'devil' here, seems lazy and gives his own way to minimize his role by relatively poor dialogue and less presence on screen. Jacqueline Fernandez was cast in a minor role, and there she was mostly talking that technical gibberish that mostly comes in English.
Action Overload
While the action is the film’s primary selling point, it becomes repetitive and uninspired in the second half. A corridor fight sequence blatantly borrows from Oldboy and Animal, and despite its intensity, it feels derivative. The over-reliance on blood-soaked visuals and weapon-heavy choreography overshadows any attempt to build emotional depth or character arcs.
Missed Opportunities
Fateh tries to combine raw action with social commentary, touching upon cybercrime and rural justice. However, the film fails in creating a coherent narrative that makes sense to viewers. Instead, it focuses more on spectacle rather than substance, leaving a lot of unfulfilled potential.
Verdict
The film Fateh is ambitious, which goes to prove how dedicated Sonu Sood is and what kind of physique he has achieved, but at the same time, it doesn't balance between style and substance. Fans of high-octane action will like its intense fight sequences, but the film's forgettable nature in the action genre is something it cannot help, given its weak storytelling and a stellar cast underutilized.
For those who want depth with action, Fateh may not reach the target. But for the fans of Sonu Sood, it stands as a testament to his effort to carve out a niche in the competitive landscape of Bollywood.
