Salaam Venky by Revathi stars Kajol and Vishal Jethwa as a mother-son duo. It is based on the true story of Kolavennu Venkatesh, a 24-year-old chess player who suffered from the rare degenerative disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This disease is incurable and leads to progressive muscle weakness. And Revathi’s telling of this life-and-death battle is an emotional rollercoaster. Here’s our review of Salaam Venky.
A mother’s fight to fulfil her son’s last wish
Venky (Vishal) is a young chess player full of life who is faced with a rare genetic disorder. But it never affects his spirit to live his life to the fullest. Venky keeps quoting his favourite saying, “Life badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi“. Meanwhile, his mother is his pillar of support throughout and is doing everything in her capacity to provide for him. But the only thing she can’t give him is his wish to be euthanised and donate his organs. As Sujata, Kajol brings a powerful mother to the screen who knows she can’t save her son but does everything possible to make it easier on him. And kudos to Kajol for bringing a flood of emotions because you won’t be able to hold back those tears.
Sujata fights to let her son die with dignity
Sujata takes it upon herself to fight the case for her son’s right to die with dignity. And with a powerful team of doctors, journalists, and lawyers, she makes sure her case is heard. But she loses the battle as the topic of ending one’s life is controversial and was unclear in the eyes of the law back in 2004. So, even though Sujata couldn’t get her son what he wanted, she did spark a vital conversation around euthanasia and organ donation. Venkatesh passed away when he was 24 years old, in December 2004, but not in vain. His inspiring story led to a change in the laws and passive euthanasia was legalised in India in 2018.
Kajol and Vishal create a strong impact as a duo
Salaam Venky’s main leads really took the movie up a notch. Kajol, as Sujata, and Vishal, as Venky, created a strong impact. The chemistry really comes through and will leave you reaching for the tissues. Along with the main leads, the supporting actors shone through equally. Aahana Kumra, Rahul Bose, Rajeev Khandelwal, Prakash Raj, Anant Mahadevan, Priyamani, and Ridhi Kumar made for a great supporting cast and aced their roles.
So, if you’re looking for an emotional roller coaster and 136 minutes of great acting, book your tickets to this one. Salaam Venky is now running in cinemas near you.
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