“Satellite Shankar” Review: Has Its Heart In The Right Place

Satellite Shankar stars Sooraj Pancholi and Megha Akash in lead roles. It is the second outing from Sooraj Pancholi in 4 years. He made his acting debut with Salman Khan Films’ Hero in 2015. Since his debut film turned out to be a commercial disaster at the box-office, the newcomer could not secure many projects. Coming to Megha Akash, she is a rising star in the South Indian film industry and is making her debut in Bollywood with Satellite Shankar. Let us find out how the film is.

Story: Shankar, an Indian Army soldier with do-gooder attitude, is posted somewhere at the Indo-Pak border in Kashmir. He needs a week's holiday to go home in Tamil Nadu as his mother (Sohaila Kapur) is about to undergo cataract operation. During the course of his journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Shankar faces a series of roadblocks but how he still manages to overcome them and report back to his senior on time is what forms the crux of the story.

Critical Analysis: If we do not analyse Satellite Shankar very deeply, it is a film which brims with feel-good factor. It has its heart in the right place. The film keeps you invested with several feel-good moments. The director has focused a lot on emotional side of soldiers, which may look over-dramatic at times.

Talking about performances, Sooraj Pancholi is unsurprisingly average. He tries his best to leave an impression, but the role just does not suit him completely. There are multiple scenes where he looks totally unconvincing. A better actor would have done a far better job and make the film even more enjoyable.

South Indian actress Megha Akash, who makes her Bollywood debut with the film, has performed well. She plays her part with a lot of conviction and succeeds in leaving an impression. Palomi Ghosh has also done her job pretty well.

Final Verdict: Satellite Shankar has its heart in the right place. But poor execution and amateurish performance from the male lead, coupled with weak storytelling, let the film down. I am going with 2.5 stars.

Movie Credits

Banner: Cine1 Studios, SCIPL
Director: Irfan Kamal
Casting: Sooraj Pancholi, Megha Akash
Runtime: 135 Minutes
STARBIZ Rating: 2.5 Stars

>>> Read about Sooraj's mother Zarina Wahab here!