Is it a bird??? is it a plane??? no..it's Pakshirajan & in true gladiator style, he is in a slug fest with our badass Chitti 2.0 in 10,500 screens across the globe. Finally after years of hype & anticipation Shankar's magnum opus "2.0" has hit the screens much to the delight of fans & movie lovers alike. It is the most expensive Indian movie ever with a budget that is said to hover around a gargantuan 550 C. With such a hefty budget, the question is whether Shankar was able to invest the money judiciously & give us something that will blow our mind. Being a Rajini & Akki fan , my expectations just like million others are sky high. So was "2.0" able to satiate it???
The film unfolds with an elderly man hanging himself atop a cell tower in a remote area & his lifeless form being swarmed by hundreds of avians. Back in the city, Dr. Vaseegaran (Rajini) introduces his latest creation, a human android named Nila (Amy Jackson) to a group of enthusiastic students. Soon after, a peculiar phenomenon occurs in the region whereby cell phones seemed to attain life & soars away like a bird from the grasp of its owner. As panic sets in across the state, the Government calls for an emergency meeting of eminent scientists and law and order forces. Vaseegaran was of the view that since the present threat seemed to suggest a fifth force, their best line of action would be to reassemble Chitti & entrust him to negate the menace. However, that proposal gets vetoed & the authorities decides to engage the military instead. But soon enough they realize that if they stood a chance, then their best bet was Chitti.
The showman of Indian cinema, Shankar is one who doesn't need any introduction after all he has constantly pushed boundaries ever since he burst into the scene with "Gentleman" quarter of a century back. His latest creation is no exception as it is the finest sci-fi movie that has been made in India & which can proudly rub shoulders with similar Hollywood flicks. Shankar has crafted his celluloid creation brilliantly & we would be awe struck as to how exquisitely he has executed his marvelous vision. But I would have to admit that I was disappointed & surprised at his rather feeble script which could have elevated the experience to stratospheric levels.
The message that he wants to convey is really worth thinking about & even the back story for Akshay was impressive. Though I am not questioning cinematic liberties, but still the subsequent portions which led to the creation of the birdman doesnt quite gel. The movie starts off with a bang & then slacks off though the graphics keeps us engrossed for most parts of a rather weak first half. However, we wont have any such complaints in the latter half as it is exhilarating stuff pretty much until the very end. From a technical point of view, it's just MIND BOGGLING as it is a visual treat with the VFX from the top drawer. Kudos to Nirav Shah for the mesmerizing visuals along with the make up & art team; all of whom have done outstanding jobs. Unlike the prequel, A R Rahman's music doesnt feature much while his BGM was praise worthy.
The Superstar floors us yet again with his style & charisma especially when he enters the sequence as the rogue Chitti after all thalaivar revels in villainy. For such an imposing hero, the impact will be delivered only if he has an equally matched adversary & Akki deserves full points for that. The Khiladi has done utmost justice to his role & reminded me of Thanos in a subtle way. I never thought I would be saying this but Amy Jackson was a perfect choice as the human android & she does provide a couple of chuckles as well. There are quite a few others as well & all of them have done their parts aptly.
Verdict: As per reports, the producers have recovered about 370 C prior to the movie's release through the sale of rights etc. With the first day collections estimated to be more than 100 C, it has more or less recovered its costs as well. Despite a rather weak script, the VFX & the star power of Rajini & Akki should make this venture a blockbuster. So will it pose a challenge for "Dangal" & "Baahubali 2"? Hmm...to be frank I dont think so, though I wont be surprised if it crosses the four digit mark. In short, a must watch in theatres to enjoy the visual extravaganza!!!
Rating : 3/5
Regards...Ben
No comments:
Post a Comment