Rowdy Rathore Film Review

Not done. Simply not done. Over the top and loud beyond redemption. At one level it is defined entertainment. You know what to expect from a Ravi Teja remake. Director Prabhu Deva does a Ctrl.C of Vikramarkudu and the product is a loud garish product bereft of Brahmanandam and placed in a lingua that does not accept certain native aspects that added colour to the original.
Most, in this part of the Vidhyas know the tale of the look alikes ( Shiva and Inspector Rathore) taking on the evil men of Devgarh whose appetite for violence and sex is unhealthy and like a local epidemic that needs a doctor to work alongside a police officer. Obviously CBI does not work hear- they are too busy with political cases.
The story is also about mistaken identity of the Inspector that was and that the Inspector that is. The one that was is not the one that is. Does not matter. Love Dame from Patna Paaro knows the six differences in the pic between her dude Shiva (Akshay) and Inspector Rathore (Akshay again) and so all the love songs are legitimate if not logical. There is also the moppet who is a left behind of the Inspector that was and inherited by the one who is. The goons of course who hitherto in a ghastly rain effected stunt, believe they have done away with the Inspector rue the assumption. Leader Bhaiji (Naseer) his brother–in-law (Mushtaq Khan) who till the other moment were behaving worse than certified perverts and classified delinquents have fear in their eyes and indiscretion in the air. This is all the story is about.
Lets examine how the script travels: Shiva in Purple, green and red pandts does din taka din taka with Director Prabhu Deva and Vijay making their appearance. Then we have a moment of comedy with Shiva and 2G (Paresh Ganatra – having the unenvious task of filling in for Brahmanandam) trying a few small time thefts, the one dealing with cell phones being hilarious. Time for love and so we have the romance between Patna girl in town for wedding of cousin smitten by Shiva. Soon we have the moppet star in a box and a haunting police officer ensuring that the child is taken care of. The Inspector Vishal Sharma (Yashpal Sharma) has a schizophrenic role – part comic, part serious. Enter villains, enter Inspector and from here it is noise more noise and high decibel noise that leaves you with the feeling that since you left your brains back home, you could well have left your ears too. The visuals too are all not too very pleasant to see, with axes, iron rods and destruction all over.
A time comes even in the space of free art to examine the credibility of such freedom. Without sounding fascist, I’m concerned with the degree of violence that is packaged as entertainment. It tells poorly on the collective culture of the times, it also leaves a serious imprint on the collective psyche of the nation. If this be entertainment, we critically need to redefine our terms.
Ravi Teja adds a certain surreal element to his script. Akshay Kumar is not of the same mould. He perhaps suited the role better than any one else. Certainly one needs to thank Prabhu Deva for choosing Akshay over the rest, but the choreographer turned film maker needs to introspect a trifle. The lead pair make the film worth the worry. Akshay though over the top (a la Genelia D’Souza) in the initial stages, gets into his own energetic self and comes up with a signature performance. He adds credibility and punch to the role. For a two film old, Sonakshi oozes even confidence. As one who is unapologetic of being from a Khaate Peete Parivar, she should realise that the mirror and the weighing machine are the two good friends of a star, even with nepotism for a back up. The character in the film declares: Don’t me angry. If only , that was introspective we would be save of yet another essay of needless mindless, chaotic fury mayhem and destruction in the name of entertainment. Go for it if your tolerance levels are high and if you are a Akshay Sonakshi fan. Once you enjoy the film, take time off and introspect .
L. Ravichander