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‘The Lost City’: An old-fashioned romantic comedy

At the promotion event, wearing a purple sequined outfit and ill-at-ease, Loretta makes a mess of the event and exits as quickly as possible, only to be abducted while waiting for her transport to take her home…reports Troy Rebeiro

Film: ‘The Lost City’ (Running in Theatres), Duration: 112 minutes, Director: Adam and Aaron Nee
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar Nunez, Patti Harrison, Bowen Yang, Brad Pitt (Rating: **1/2)

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‘The Lost City’ is a tepid treasure hunt caper that seems to be inspired by the 1983 released ‘Romancing The Stone’.

In this film, Sandra Bullock plays Loretta Sage, a widowed novelist mourning the death of her archaeologist husband, and prefers being low-key.

It is her publisher Beth Hatten (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who pushes Loretta, to complete the book and promote it.

So, after Loretta finishes her novel titled, ‘The Lost City of D’, she grits her teeth and begins the promotion tour with Alan (Channing Tatum), who pretends to be Dash, the hunky romantic hero and the cover model of her novels.

At the promotion event, wearing a purple sequined outfit and ill-at-ease, Loretta makes a mess of the event and exits as quickly as possible, only to be abducted while waiting for her transport to take her home.

She soon discovers that the billionaire archaeology enthusiast, and scion of a media empire, Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), is the mastermind behind her kidnapping. He has been trying to locate an ancient relic – the long-lost precious Crown of Fire, hidden somewhere on a remote jungle island, and he believes that Loretta is the only person who can help him find it, as she mentioned something to this effect in her novel.

When Loretta refuses to cooperate, one of Abigail’s men drugs her and puts her on a jet en route to the forgotten island, where she is expected to translate stone carvings and find the fabled relic.

Meanwhile, Alan behaving like the adventurer in Loretta’s novel sets off to rescue her. He enlists the help of an ex-Navy Seal, Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt), for a search-and-rescue mission which also goes terribly awry, leaving Alan to get through the jungle and to the woman he realises he is in love with.

In true screwball fashion, the two have several contrived and farcical encounters while they attempt to escape the jungle and the clutches of the kidnappers. The relatively plotless meandering of the narrative might test the patience of some viewers, but there are some pleasing bits of action sequences to demonstrate Alan’s brawn. There is also some titillation, where Loretta warms up to Alan after seeing him with his pants down.

Sandra Bullock as Loretta is disappointingly gloomy and mechanical in her demeanour. Similarly, Channing Tatum does not offer us anything exceptional. Nevertheless, he is fun to watch here as he pairs well with Bullock. The only ones who stand out in this film are Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt’s scene-stealing scenes provide some hearty laughs, unfortunately, his is only an elaborate cameo.

Overall, ‘The Lost City’ is an old-fashioned romantic comedy that- is not weighed down by heavy drama.

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‘Jalota’s ‘Dasvi’ unveils the importance of education

But when he realises that education empowers you, he takes up the challenge, and how with the help of other inmates, he works towards studying for the exam forms the crux of the narrative…reports Troy Rebeiro

Film: ‘Dasvi’ (Streaming on Netflix); Duration: 126 minutes, Director: Tushar Jalota
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Nimrat Kaur, Yami Gautam, Manu Rishi Chadha, Arun Kushwaha, Chitranjan Tripati, Danish Husain, Dhanveer Singh, Abhimanyu Yadav (Rating: ***)

Director Tushar Jalota’s ‘Dasvi’ is designed as a satire in a political set-up, revealing the importance of education.

Set in the fictional state of Harit Pradesh, the arrogant and pompous Chief Minister Ganga Ram Chaudhary (Abhishek Bachchan) is arrested for a scam. But before getting locked up in judicial custody, he relinquishes his position in favour of his wife, Bimla Devi (Nimrit Kaur), and remote controls the state from behind the bars.

In prison, he is pampered by his sycophants till the arrival of super inspector, Jyoti Deswal (Yami Gautam), who insists that one should be assigned work according to one’s level of education.

Since Ganga Ram Chaudhary is only eighth-passed, he is eligible to work as a gardener, carpenter, or any other menial work. But being the CM and a man of clout, his pride is injured.

He tries seeking his wife’s help to get Inspector Jyoti transferred, but she blatantly refuses, citing a perception issue.

When he learns that prisoners who study are exempted from working in prisons, he contemplates appearing for the Secondary School Certificate exam, which is the tenth standard or “Dasvi” in Hindi.

But when he realises that education empowers you, he takes up the challenge, and how with the help of other inmates, he works towards studying for the exam forms the crux of the narrative.

Being a satire, the writers have crafted a vitreous cocktail of naked ambition and blustery bravado with a distinctly bitter aftertaste. On the face of it, you chuckle constantly, but subconsciously you realise the sad state of affairs that prevails. While the writing is good in parts, it is also the weakest element of the film as the narrative lacks chutzpah.

On the performance front, the film is an outright Abhishek Bachchan canvas. He plays the big-headed, self-important politician who mellows with time to perfection. He is aptly supported by Nimrit Kaur as his timid wife, who suddenly tastes power, and faster than a chameleon changes its colour, she transforms herself into a bumbling shrewd character who lacks any real conviction other than a desire for power and position.

Coming to Yami Gautam as the super-strict police inspector, despite delivering a competent performance, she does not have the persona to play such a character she seems to be a misfit in the film, and the makers of the film are solely to be blamed for it.

The rest of the supporting cast are flat stock characters who have their moments of limited on-screen glory.

The music and songs in the film appear of mediocre quality with oft-heard tunes.

Overall, the film is fairly entertaining and engaging.

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‘Beast’ fails to impress audience

It is just an ordinary commercial entertainer that has exaggerated action sequences, little or no humour and a wafer-thin plot – Review by Manigandan K.R.

Film: ‘Beast’ (Released in Theatres). Duration: 156 minutes.
Director: Nelson Dilipkumar. Cast: Vijay, Pooja Hegde, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley, Selvaraghavan and Shine Tom Chacko.
IANS Rating: **1/2

Director Nelson Dilipkumar’s ‘Beast’ is an action comedy whose only aim seems to be to glorify its hero’s character. As a result, it fails to impress. It is just an ordinary commercial entertainer that has exaggerated action sequences, little or no humour and a wafer-thin plot.

The story revolves around Vijayaraghavan (Vijay), who is from India’s elite intelligence agency, RAW. Vijayaraghavan has quit the agency because of a child getting killed in a military operation he was involved in. Time passes and the former agent is still unable to overcome the psychological trauma caused by the death of the child.

One day, Vijayaraghavan goes to a mall in the city accompanied by his girlfriend, Preethi (Pooja Hegde), and the head of a private security service (VTV Ganesh). On reaching the mall, he instantly realises that it is under seige by terrorists. How Vijayaraghavan saves the hostages and neutralises the terrorists is what the film is all about.

The film can basically be broken into two components — humour and action. While some of the action sequences make you laugh, most of the humorous parts don’t.

Director Nelson, who is known for his sparkling humour, seems to have miserably failed in his attempt to recreate the magic of his earlier films, notably ‘Doctor’ and ‘Kolamavu Kokila’.

This is not to say that all jokes fall flat. Some jokes click, but these are few and far between. And the exaggerated action sequences seem to have been added with the sole intention of glorifying the hero’s character.

Some of the sequences involving VTV Ganesh, Yogi Babu and Redin Kingsley work, but these offer little or no satisfaction to audiences who were expecting a humour feast from Nelson Dilipkumar.

One other thing that has gone horribly wrong for Nelson in ‘Beast’ is that while his earlier films always had a story that had logic. This one seems to be completely devoid of it, as the film looks to glorify the character of Vijayaraghavan at every given opportunity.

Sample this for instance. The hero can kill terrorists at will, without so much as breaking into a sweat. He consistently keeps taking on the terrorists who are shooting to kill, but strangely never gets shot even once!

He might be from RAW but he can also fly fighter planes! That’s not all! He can also even order other fighter squadrons in the Air Force! One could go on, but then, you get the point, right?

Pooja Hegde has not much to do. Honestly speaking, no character other than that of the hero has anything significant to do.

Manoj Paramahamsa’s cinematography is neat and Anirudh’s music is outstanding. To cut a long story short, ‘Beast’ is an exercise in self-glorification!

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‘Kaun Pravin Tambe?’: An inspiring tale that touches your heart

The film is mounted with moderate production values, where Sudhir Palsane’s camera work does offer a realistic glimpse into Tambe’s life as his frames capture him on and off the cricket pitch with equal fervour…writes Troy Rebeiro

(Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), Duration: 134 minutes, Director: Jayprad Desai, Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Anjali Patil, Ashish Vidyarthi, Parambrata Chatterjee, Chhaya Kadam, Arif Zakaria, Asif Ali (Rating: ***)

This biographical sports drama is as unassuming as the man himself nevertheless, it is an inspiring tale that touches your heart somewhere down the line.

For the uninitiated, Parvin Tambe is an Indian cricketer who made his IPL (Indian Premier League) debut at the age of forty-one and became the oldest ever IPL debutant, and who had never played professional cricket before.

The film, narrated in a non-linear manner, begins with a foreword by Rahul Dravid, his chief mentor at Rajasthan Royals. He tells us, “I’d like to share another story of someone I had the privilege of playing with and getting to know over the last couple of years, who for me, I think signifies passion on the cricket field, a lot of times people expect me to talk about Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly, and Kumble, they are all great cricketers, and I played with a lot of them, and they had some amazing qualities, but the story I’d like to tell is about Pravin Tambe,” and thus the narrative rolls on.

Like most sports biopic which reveal the trial and tribulation of the sportsperson, this film too delves into Tambe’s childhood and how he got absorbed in cricket, his struggle in balancing his work life, his passion, his sincerity to the game, and everything he did to survive.

Throughout the narrative, it comes across that- Tambe’s only aim in life is to play for the Ranji Trophy, that too without pushing his boundaries. For four years in a row, he was named in the Mumbai Ranji probables squad but was never selected to play.

His casual, “Kismet yah kuch aur,” statement to the cynical sports journalist Rajat Sanyal invites his ire, and thence – the film is narrated through the sceptical Rajat’s point of view, who dismisses him as “fit for gully cricket or club cricket.”

But naturally, destiny has other plans for Tambe.

The film is mounted with moderate production values, where Sudhir Palsane’s camera work does offer a realistic glimpse into Tambe’s life as his frames capture him on and off the cricket pitch with equal fervour.

With nearly the same physical structure as the cricketer Shreyas Talpade is convincing. He portrays Tambe with sincerity.

Anjali Patil as his supportive wife Vaishali is endearing. So is Chhaya Kadam, who steals the show with her fine performance as his loving mother.

The versatile Parambrata Chatterjee as Rajat Sanyal is fairly efficient.

Ashish Vidhyarthi slips into the shoes of coach Vidhadhar Paradkar effortlessly. And the rest of the supporting cast are all equally earnest.

Overall, while the film does answer the question in the title, it does rush through Tambe’s achievements post-2013 after he made his first-class debut in the IPL. The summary of his accomplishments is equally impressive. At the end of the film, before the credits roll you do get to see the real-life cricketer.

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‘Sharmaji Namkeen’: Nothing new or unusual, but light-hearted

The film sorely lacks drama, interesting twists, and an element of freshness. It trudges along on an even keel. Nevertheless, it is an uncompromising depiction of “the show must go on” attitude to life, while it imbues the screenplay with dignity…reports Troy Rebeiro

Streaming on Prime Video, Duration: 122 minutes, Director: Hitesh Bhatia, Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar Taaruk Raina, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, Isha Talwar and Parmeet Sethi, (Rating: **1/2) XXX



One of the characters in the film states, “Baat baat pe senti ho jaate hain”. That is exactly what you experience when you see ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ — Rishi Kapoor’s posthumous film.

There is nothing new, unusual, or flamboyant about this slice-of-life film, which narrates the tale of Brij Gopal Sharma, a widower with two grown-up sons who finds himself at the crossroads of life when he is laid off from work.

The film begins with a function in the office of Madhuban Home Appliances, where Sharmaji is felicitated for being a sincere and dedicated worker. His boss, Mr Sikka, advises him to enjoy life and have fun. But this is exactly what he cannot do.

After staying at home for four months and 13 days, getting on the nerves of his sons, Rinku and Vincy, Mr Sharma feels the itch to find a purpose in his life.

Being a widower, Sharmaji has been cooking at home. Also, at times, he has been volunteering at religious functions in his locality. So, at the behest of his friend, Mr Chaddha (Satish Kaushik), he takes up a cooking assignment for Mrs Gulati’s (Sheeba Chaddha) kitty party.

Since then, Mr Sharma is the most sought-after cook within Mrs Gulati’s circle of merry friends. How his life evolves thereafter forms the crux of the narrative.

‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ is a light-hearted film, yet it is not easy to sit through, for it is unusually mounted, with two actors playing the same role.

Initially, seeing Paresh Rawal slip into Rishi Kapoor’s shoes seems a bit jarring, but gradually, your mind accepts it. Both share the screen time equally as B.G. Sharma.

The film sorely lacks drama, interesting twists, and an element of freshness. It trudges along on an even keel. Nevertheless, it is an uncompromising depiction of “the show must go on” attitude to life, while it imbues the screenplay with dignity.

Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal are effortless in their performance as Mr B.G. Sharma. They are aptly supported by Suhail Nayyar and Taaruk Raina as Sharma’s sons, Rinku and Vincy. They both are sincere despite their frivolous bro-banter appearing forced and amateurishly staged.

Juhi Chawla as Mrs Gulati’s friend Veena Manchanda, who forms a bond with Sharma, adds a cute layer to the narrative, but does not elevate the story.

Parmeet Sethi as Veena’s brother-in-law, Robbie, the Mayor of Delhi, is charming but does not add much heft to the role.

The rest of the cast in supporting roles are mostly natural, but at times they are dramatic and over-the-top. They have their moments of on-screen glory.

Mounted with mediocre production values the film will certainly have a limited appeal. Those who can make it through are going to cherish the film for Rishi Kapoor and the film’s core values

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‘King Richard’:  An unusual, inspirational sports drama

Will excels as the worried, over-protective and vulnerable dad who will stop at nothing to shield his talented daughters from the perils and pitfalls of stardom and celebrity…reports Troy Rebeiro

Film: ‘King Richard’ (Running in Theatres). Duration: 146 minutes., Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green. Cast: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Mikayla Lashae Bartholomew, Daniele Lawson, Layla Crawford, Erika Ringor, Noah Bean, Craig Tate, Dylan McDermott, Live Schreiber and Susie Abromeit. (Rating: ***)


Director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s ‘King Richard’ is an unusual, inspirational sports drama. Designed as a hagiography, it is the tale of an ambitious father who had planned the career of his daughters even before they were born.

Centred around their father, Richard Williams, the film aims at telling the story behind the meteoric success of two of the greatest professional tennis players of all time — Venus and Serena Williams.

Richard has a plan. He and his wife Oracene aka ‘Brandy’ (Aunjanue Ellis) will add two more children to their family, and those children will grow up to be tennis prodigies. And he does everything the girls need to transform from being prodigies to becoming professional players.

Armed with a clear vision and a 78-page plan, Richard is a dedicated, hard-working dreamer, eccentric at times, determined to write his daughters into history.

Working as a security guard at night and relentlessly training his daughters during the day on the cracked and leaf-littered surfaces of Compton, California municipal courts, making his daughters achieve their maximum potential, instilling in them immense confidence and a never-say-die attitude, and later strategising their career moves, forms the crux of the narrative.

The script by Zach Baylin is formulaic in glorifying Richard. He is hardworking, has a plan which he repeatedly tells others, gets beaten by local gangs, studies tennis magazines and instructors, and tries to get his girls formal training from professionals while holding them back to his demands.

Some moments shine, specifically the one when, after showing his daughters the film ‘Cinderella’, he asks them: “What did you learn from Cinderella?”

Will Smith essays the role of the flamboyant, often outspoken, at times boorish Richard Williams with ease. If you have ever seen the real-life ‘King Richard’, during his famous interviews and press tours, you can easily understand the hard work and detailing Will Smith has put behind his portrayal of the famous dad-cum-coach, especially of his mannerisms and posture.

Will excels as the worried, over-protective and vulnerable dad who will stop at nothing to shield his talented daughters from the perils and pitfalls of stardom and celebrity.

Saniyya Sidney as Venus and Demi Singleton as Serena are a delight on screen. They both bring an easy uncomplicated innocence to their depiction of the girls the Williams sisters have always maintained they are. Moreover, their tennis skills, particularly their ability to match the Williams sisters’ style of play, are impressive.

Aunjanue Ellis, as Oracene, the girls’ headstrong and equally supportive mother, holds her stead against a charming and dominating Will Smith. She is a much more interesting character, but unfortunately her role is shortchanged by the script.

Jon Bernthal also shines in a supporting role, as the eccentric and loud-mouthed real-life coach, Rick Macci.

Overall, ‘King Richard’ is a fitfully entertaining and intermittently feel-good film that reinforces the belief, “Daddy knows best”, even as it portrays a lesser-known part of the Williams sisters’ lives.

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‘Moon Knight’: Psychological thriller with ample action, comedy, and horror tropes

The series is diverse in its storytelling and does require an open mind due to its unusual yet intriguing complexity. On the face of it, ‘Moon Knight’ appears very straightforward in its approach…writes Troy Rebeiro

(Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), Duration: Averaging 50 minutes per episode (Total 6 episodes), Directors: Mohamed Diab, Cast: Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, F. Murray Abraham, Karim-El-Hakim, Gaspard Ulliel (Rating: ***)


This highly anticipated series, ‘Moon Knight,’ begins with a promise that gradually withers away to oblivion. Designed as a psychological thriller with ample action, comedy, and horror tropes thrown in the series might work for you if you binge-watch it, or else the series with all its complexities might just be beyond caring.

For the uninitiated, Moon Knight is a complex fictional character and a robed superhero created by Marvel Comics. He appears as the main protagonist of his titular comics and a supporting character in the Marvel Universe. Characteristically, he wears many hats. He had once led a life of violence until he was chosen by Khonshu – the Egyptian God of the Moon and vengeance to protect the innocent and also as a way to redeem himself. Thus, he is named Moon Knight.

This six-episode series follows Steven Grant, the cringey gift-shop employee at the National Art Gallery in London, who has an affinity to Egyptology. While he enjoys a regular lifestyle, he has a peculiar habit when- he goes to sleep. He shackles himself to his bed, for he suffers from nightmares that transport him to places he is unsure of.

Also, at times, during the day, he suffers from blackouts and hallucinates about memories of another life, which he soon discovers is the result of a dissociative identity disorder that he suffers. He realises that he shares his body with Marc Spector, a former mercenary and is also the avatar of Khonshu (Voiced by F. Murray Abraham). How Steven navigates through his complex identities to fight his enemies as he finds himself- enmeshed in an Indiana Jones-esque adventure that involves the powerful gods of Egypt, forms the crux of this series narrative.

The series is diverse in its storytelling and does require an open mind due to its unusual yet intriguing complexity. On the face of it, ‘Moon Knight’ appears very straightforward in its approach. It features a guy who is, losing his mind hallucinating an Egyptian God while a cult leader Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), is after his life and has other supernatural goals.

Oscar Isaac plays his dual roles astutely. It feels like watching two different actors delivering powerful performances. As Steven Grant, he is the most interesting- character in the series with his humility, innocence, and nerdy charm. His unintentional one-liners are typical of the wry British humour that keeps you in splits. As the formidable Mark Spector, he is the hands-on broody guy, a tortured soul, constantly fighting Grant for control.

Ethan Hawke’s mesmerising performance as the relaxed supervillain Arthur Harrow is intimidating. As Harrow, he does not use force or manipulation. He is just mellow and speaks his truth, which could be misleading.

May Calamawy, who portrays the tough and smart Layla, is the conduit that channelises the action-adventure feel in the film. She is the woman Steven Grant has always dreamt of, while Spector tries his best to stay away from her.

Mounted with ace production values, the series with a unique mashup of multiple genres appears wild and unlike any previous Marvel MCU shows.

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Pink stars at the Oscars

Becky G walked the red carpet in a sparkling gown by Etro with her hair parted in the middle and pulled tightly behind her ears…reports N. LOTHUNGBENI HUMTSOE

The 94th annual Academy Awards, Oscars 2022, returned fully in-person after two years of social distancing and virtual shenanigans. Hollywood stars posed on the red carpet, transforming it into a pastel dreamland.

Becky G in Etro, Zoe Kravitz and Zendaya turned heads in designer ensembles and were among the few who wore light hues, soft shades and pastel colours.

Let’s see who gets our vote:

Zoe Kravitz

Looking gorgeous in a pink strapless gown by Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. The actress paired a diamond choker to complete the look.

Lily James

For her first Oscars red carpet outing, the “Pam and Tommy” star wore a lace pink Versace gown.

Zendaya

The fashion queen of the moment, Zendaya, stole the show in Valentino. The shimmering silver skirt with a trail teamed with a satin crop top was a top millennial choice.

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis channeled Hollywood glamour in a pink satin gown by Zuhair Murad.

Becky G

Becky G walked the red carpet in a sparkling gown by Etro with her hair parted in the middle and pulled tightly behind her ears.

Sebastian Yatra

Colombian singer Sebastian Yatra arrived on the red carpet wearing a custom Moschino three-piece suit with a black bow tie, representing the boys in the pastel squad.

Alana Haim

Alana Haim looked extravagant in a Louis Vuitton scalloped pattern dress.

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‘Ambulance’ – a heist drama, unexceptional as its basic title

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays William Joes Sharp aka Will, an Army veteran – who is desperate for money after his wife is diagnosed with some serious, unexplained health issues.

(Running in Theatres); Duration: 136 minutes, Director: Michael Bay, Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eliza Gonzalez, Garret Dillahunt, A Martinez, Devan Chandler Long, Keir O’Donnell, Colin Woodell, Moses Ingram, Rating: ***

Despite a few strong emotional beats, ‘Ambulance’ – a heist drama, is as unexceptional as its basic title. This unoriginal story of two brothers drawn into an ill-fated robbery is notable for raising one pervasive question: What is Emmy winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who was earlier seen in films like ‘Candyman’ and ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, and Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, who featured in ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Spiderman: Far From Home,’ doing in such a disposable potboiler?

The film begins with a sketchy insight of the characters and then directly plunges into its inciting moment.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays William Joes Sharp aka Will, an Army veteran – who is desperate for money after his wife is diagnosed with some serious, unexplained health issues.

He assures his wife that he would even be willing to work in a warehouse as a forklift driver, but in his desperation, he approaches his adoptive brother Danny – a hard-core bank robber, who asks him, “How much do you need?”

Will replies, “231,000 for an experimental surgery, and the insurance does not cover experimental surgery.”

Danny offers him a chance to make his money by sharing a piece of the 32 million heist he planned. “It’s the biggest bank heist in Los Angeles history,” he boasts. He then coaxes Will with, “It’s time to do something for yourself and your family,” and ends his conversation emphasising, “Your family.”

Will bites the bait.

But, when the heist goes awry, the despairingly frantic brothers hijack an ambulance with a bleeding policeman and paramedic Cam Thompson (Eiza Gonzalez) onboard.

What follows is a high-speed pursuit that never stops. Despite their attempt to evade the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI, who are on their trail, and their attempt to keep their hostages alive, things go south for the brothers.

While the elements go south for the protagonists, the plot, which began on a sketchy or wobbly note, unexpectedly inches north, making the viewing engrossing.

On the performance front, the actors deliver their parts earnestly.

There are many thrilling moments in the 137 minutes runtime, with the police vehicles and helicopters chasing the ambulance, along with gun battles and ambushes. Unfortunately, these over-loaded action sequences appear generic and tedious at times. Despite this, it is during their escapade, that the brothers’ characters surface, and there is an emotional connection that bonds the viewers to the screen.

Later, when you reflect on the film, Danny’s line, “We are not the bad guys, we are just the guys trying to get home,” resonates in your mindscape.

ALSO READ-‘RRR’ = ‘Rise Roar Revolt’= Simply Rajamouli Magic

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‘RRR’ = ‘Rise Roar Revolt’= Simply Rajamouli Magic

The first two acts of the plot move at a leisurely pace, but the last act is hurriedly wrapped up in the last 30 minutes. There is a lot of gore in the form of torture — and that is when your spirits dip…writes Troy Rebeiro

(Running in Theatres); Duration: 187 minutes, Director: S.S. Rajamouli. Cast: Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, Ray Stevenson and Shriya Saran. (Rating: ***)

Director S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’, which is the abbreviation for ‘Roudram Ranam Rudhiram’ or ‘Rise Roar Revolt’, is a torture fest, literally and figuratively, unless you view the film as a fantasy fiction catering to the masses.

Set in 1920s India, this is a fictitious story about two revolutionaries who, away from home, take it upon themselves to fight the British.

The narrative, divided into three chapters begins with ‘The Story’. It tells us how Mali, a pre-teen girl from the Gond tribe of the Deccan forests, is forcibly taken from her home and her parents to Delhi at the behest of Mrs Buxton, wife of the British Governor Scott Buxton.

The next chapter, ‘The Fire’, introduces us to the daredevil policeman, A. Rama Raju (Ram Charan), who goes all-out to impress his British boss.

The third chapter, ‘The Water’, presents Bheem (Jr NTR), the forest dweller who travels to Delhi disguised as Akhtar, a Muslim man, to rescue Mali, the girl from his tribe.

How Rama and Bheem meet, form a bond of contrived friendship, and take on British colonials, forms the crux of the magnum opus. Adding to the plot is Bheem’s brief romance with Jenny (Olivia Morris), Rama’s back-story, and his lady love, Sita (Alia Bhatt), waiting for him.

The film is packed with cinematic excesses and liberties. It opens with visually impressive frames and scenes, but gradually the novelty wears off as the storytelling appears lame and tiresome. It is only when the narrative breaks into its first song, ‘Nacho Nacho’ (‘Naatu Naatu’ in the Telugu original) that the screen comes alive, and thereafter the plot gains momentum.

The first two acts of the plot move at a leisurely pace, but the last act is hurriedly wrapped up in the last 30 minutes. There is a lot of gore in the form of torture — and that is when your spirits dip.

Not wanting the opportunity to slip, Bheem sings and stirs a revolution. This also happens to be the turning point for Rama, but that does not surface organically. The final 15 minutes with exhilarating action sequences showing Lord Rama destroying his enemies with his bow and arrows, seems more like a comic-book rendition.

While there is a patriotic streak to Rama’s tale, Ram Charan’s actions are so obligatory that it is impossible to be emotionally attached to him. On the other hand, Jr NTR, as the little girl’s saviour, is endearing. Alia Bhatt, as Sita, has hardly anything to offer.

Ajay Devgn as Venkat, Rama’s father, the policeman-turned-revolutionary mouthing instructions in English, “Load, Aim, Attack”, sounds preposterous, despite his intense demeanour and sincere performance. Shriya Sharan, as his wife, has nothing much to do in the film.

Olivia Morris as Jenny is passable. The only one to get your goat is Alison Doody. She very effectively plays her part as the obnoxious Lady Buxton, who demands to see Bheem on his knees and on not seeing enough blood, offers a special whip to make him apologise.

The film is mounted with ace production values. The CGI images seamlessly merge with live-action frames, but their quality varies from good to mediocre.

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