New Delhi: 'Adipurush' has finally made it to the theatres after navigating through criticism over its visual effects and a few controversies and is still able to pull large crowds so that theatres are full. The long-awaited mythological drama, starring Prabhas and Kriti Sanon, retells the story of the Hindu epic Ramayana. While Kriti Sanon plays Sita, Sunny Singh plays Lakshman, and Saif Ali Khan plays Ravan, Prabhas plays Lord Ram. The drama flick is a modernised version of the epic made to appeal to contemporary moviegoers.
In Hindi cinema, mythology-inspired films are all the rage because of the makers' thirst for ancient fables that can be tailored for the screen today. Om Raut, of 'Tanhaji' fame, took an interest in the genre and made an effort to present a fresh interpretation of the Ramayana. Just like a dish could be described in flowery language on the menu and then, to one's dismay, arrive at the table with only a meagre hint of flavour; the same goes for 'Adipurush'.
One of the most crucial elements of a period drama or mythological movie is the style of speech used to set up the tone and era. The movie fails miserably in that department, to the point where even the scary and grave sequences are met with giggles. It is not on the shoulders of those watching. During a duel between Bali and Sugriv in one of the scenes, Lakshmana (Sunny Singh) points towards the latter and says, ‘Ye toh fisaddi hai’. As it appears, the word implies one's incompetence; if so, a lot of viewers are probably pointing at the screen showcasing 'Adipurush' and voicing the same thoughts (just saying).
There are plenty of these cringe-worthy dialogues in the three-hour movie, making it a gold mine for fresh memes. To one's surprise, at the point where Bajrangbali's tail starts to catch fire, he says to Indrajeet (Raavan’s son), ‘Kapda tere baap ka, tel tere baap ka, Aag tere baap ki, jalegi bhi tere baap ki’.
It took years for Ramanand Sagar to lay out the story of the epic in his Ramayana, which will undoubtedly serve as a point of comparison for this movie. On the contrary, Raut's directorial had a few hours to get things done. Thus, it demanded a tightly written screenplay and precise editing, but regretfully, this didn't happen because of the numerous needless songs and segments that only contributed to ruining one's interest.
However, when the movie begins, Raghav, Janaki, and Lakshman are already in the forest after the former accepts his "vanvas." Parallel to this, we witness Raavan fully immersed in worshipping Shiva in his dwelling, which resembles a cave and is surrounded by gigantic statues. Raavan (Saif Ali Khan) has a spooky visage, which, combined with the dark tone and colour scheme, lends the scene an eerie feel.
The characters are revealed right away in the narrative arc. The focus moves from Raavan's crafty abduction of Janaki to the setup for the Ram versus. Ravan clash. Raghav and Lakshman, who are on the lookout for Janaki, stumble upon Pavan Putra Hanuman, and the two of them engage in some amusing exchanges. Bajranbali, in a hilarious way, takes an aptitude test. A scenario that would only be funny to a 10-year-old.
The movie mainly relies on a precise retelling of happenings, and we get the Soorpanakha story (Raavan's sister, whose nose gets cut off by Ram), the Shabari tale (an old woman, whose "jhoothe ber" are eaten by Lord Ram), and the Lakshman Rekha part in which Sita walks over and is right away taken away by Raavan. All of these chapters build to the showdown between Ram and Raavan over Janaki's release, which serves as the narrative's grand conclusion.
The movie has been a mishmash of terrible acting and unbearable dialogue from the moment it began. Nothing changed at the end of the story. With animated characters by their sides who possess superpowers akin to those of Marvel and DC protagonists, Raghav and Raavan engage in combat.
At certain moments, no 'Game of Thrones' fan can help but draw parallels between the cinematography. You almost wait for Raavan to say, "Dracarys," as he soars through the sky on a bat-faced dragon. Once you see the movie, you'll realise why this isn't far-fetched. 'Adipurush' ends up being a tiresome experience owing to its pompous VFX and bland narrative. The visual appearance of the movie might be palatable if you invest money in a 3D ticket. The best moment will still be leaving that theatre, though.