The trailer of Sara Ali Khan's Ae Watan Mere Watan was unveiled by the makers on Monday. The Independence-era drama is directed by Kannan Iyer (Daud, 1997; Ek Thi Daayan, 2013) and written by Darab Farooqui along with Kannan. Apart from Sara, the OTT film also stars Sparsh Shrivastava, Sachin Khedekar, Abhay Verma, Alexx O' Nell, and Anand Tiwari in pivotal roles, alongside a special guest appearance by Emraan Hashmi.
The film is set in 1942. There is a growing sentiment against British rule in India. Protests are being held, and the young, influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's ideology, have decided to oppose the Raj.
One such girl is 22-year-old Usha Mehta (Sara Ali Khan), who, along with her associate, played by Sparsh Shrivastava, starts an underground radio station to debunk the fake news being generated by the British. From the trailer, the period film seems to talk more to the present, as there are mentions of thought control, freedom of speech, and "if not the British then who?"
Ae Watan Mere Watan is inspired by the true story of Usha Mehta, founder of the Secret Congress Radio, which functioned during the Quit India movement of 1942.
"Portraying such a powerful character has been an honor. To embody the spirit of my character and diving into her consciousness and understanding what motivates and inspires her has been humbling and empowering," said Sara on playing Usha.
"From its very genesis, Ae Watan Mere Watan has been a deeply enriching and transformative experience for me as a filmmaker. This film, while inspired by historical events, is a homage to the unsung heroes whose extraordinary valor shaped the course of our nation's history,” said director Kannan Iyer.
The film premieres on Prime Video on March 21.
(This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)