You would have thought, after the troubles the film went through, tossing its stars from the horns of one dilemma to another, the director falling apart with one of the producers, a halt to the shooting, the recourse from court, another production team coming on board, Kedarnath would be jinxed till its release and beyond. But no, in some kind of marketing strategy that seems more like money business, the film is ready for release much ahead of its official date. And a teaser for Kedarnath just blasted the internet, introducing Sara Ali Khan to Bollywood aficionados who have been keenly following her on social media going from her car to the gym and from her car to a restaurant, nightclub, salad bar, and pub.
She’s – wow! Like Janhvi Kapoor who made her debut in Dhadak earlier this year, Sara has a compelling presence on screen. And while Janhvi’s presence was raw, dusky and sensual, Sara’s is gentle, regal and seductive.
What Kedarnath’s release on December 7, after an indefinite and troubling shift to next year, is going to do for Simmba which was supposed to be Sara’s Bollywood debut on December 28, is anybody’s guess. It pitchforks the debutante among the stars sooner rather than later. But maybe she doesn’t mind, because Sara is already trending on social media for coming strongly through in the 1.39-minute teaser that released today. She’s got her grandmother, that beautiful Bengali actress Sharmila Tagore’s elegance and coquettishness, her mother Amrita Sigh’s commanding appearance, and her father Saif Ali Khan’s name.
Kedarnath itself is breathtaking and terrifying in the film, especially when the landslide occurs after a cloudburst, accompanied by thunder, lightning and flash floods, and washes away everything in its path, the gigantic statue of Lord Shiva impassively watching the might and fury of Nature, the toll of death and wake of destruction left behind in the town, and a young couple fighting for their lives, struggling for their love, while temple bells ring wildly in torrential rain. The film looks promising. Sara Ali Khan shines. Even Sushant Singh Rajput, the actor for some reason a lot of people like to dislike, manages to glow.
