Kesari Veer Review: Sooraj Pancholi's action and Suniel Shetty's intensity are all that works for the clumsy historical about saving Somnath temple

Pink Villa

23-05-2025

Plot
Hamirji Gohil (Sooraj Pancholi) is a courageous Rajput warrior determined to protect the sacred Somnath Temple from the ruthless Mughal leader Veerepaksh Zafar (Vivek Oberoi). Set in the 14th century, the film follows Hamirji's efforts to safeguard his land and faith against overwhelming odds. Alongside him is Vedgaji (Suniel Shetty), another fierce protector of the temple. His daughter Rajal (Akanksha Sharma) serves as Hamirji Gohil's love interest. The focus of the movie is to highlight the valour and sacrifices of the Rajput warriors as they stand firm to defend their cultural and religious heritage.
What happens to Hamirji Gohil? Is he able to protect the Somnath temple? Watch Kesari Veer to find that out.
What Works for Kesari Veer
The film's biggest strength lies in its sincerity. All the actors pour their hearts into portraying characters that embody courage and devotion, automatically making the audience root for them. The intention to tell a story that holds cultural and religious importance for Hindus is commendable. The film particularly does well to evoke a sense of pride in its depiction of Rajput valour. The action sequences stand out, particularly those involving hand-to-hand combat. The confrontational sequences between Sooraj Pancholi and Suniel Shetty make for the film's best moments. The costume design and set pieces are good considering the tight budget. The film's heart is undeniably in the right place, aiming to celebrate a significant chapter of history with passion.
What Doesn't Work for Kesari Veer
Despite its noble intentions, Kesari Veer falters in its execution. The storytelling lacks depth, sticking to a predictable and overly simplistic narrative that doesn't explore the characters' motivations or the historical context in more detail. The screenplay feels stretched, padded with clichés, melodramatic dialogues and repetitive confrontations, subsequently diluting the emotional impact. The romantic arc between Hamirji and Rajal feels underdeveloped and it adds only little to the main plot.
The visual effects are a major letdown, with poorly rendered CGI that makes grand battle scenes look unconvincing. This shoddy technical work undermines the film's serious tone, making it hard for audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story. Lastly, the pacing also suffers because of the excessive number of songs through the course of the film.
Watch the Kesari Veer Trailer
Performances in Kesari Veer
Sooraj Pancholi delivers a committed performance as Hamirji Gohil, bringing intensity and sincerity to the role of the brave warrior. However, the weak script limits his ability to fully showcase his potential. Vivek Oberoi as Veerepaksh Zafar is suitably menacing, though his character leans heavily on the clichés of a Mughal warrior. Suniel Shetty brings credibility to the film. His opening scene where he saves the Shivling is one of the film's highlights. Akanksha Sharma does reasonably as Rajal. She looks glamorous as a Rajput princess. Bhavya Gandhi gives good support to Sooraj Pancholi but his character is pretty straightforward. It should have certainly had more nuance. Other actors in the film perform ably.
Final Verdict of Kesari Veer
Kesari Veer is a film with noble intentions and a heartfelt tribute to Rajput bravery, but it falls short due to its simplistic storytelling, stretched screenplay, and subpar visual effects. While there is sincerity visible in the performance of Sooraj Pancholi, and while the action scenes are well executed, the lack of narrative depth and technical polish hold the movie back.
You can watch Kesari Veer at a theatre near you, now. Share us what you feel about the religious historical actioner. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on the movie.