An engaging cop film
Darbar Story: A top cop is tasked with ending the drug menace in Mumbai, and to do this, he has to take on a most feared and ruthless mafia lord.
Darbar Review: In the films of AR Murugadoss, justice isn’t always delivered by upholding the law of the land. Be it in Ramana or Thuppakki or Kaththi, his protagonists have to break law to ensure justice is served. And that is what happens in Darbar, where an angry cop goes on a murderous rampage to take down a most-wanted criminal. Right in the opening scenes, the director establishes that his protagonist Aaditya Arunasalam (Rajinikanth), a top cop who has been deputed to Mumbai to tackle the drug menace in the city, isn’t someone who goes by the rule book. In fact, we see him threatening and roughing up the members of the Human Rights Commission who question him about his rule-breaking (The film tries to project Arunasalam as a mentally disturbed person to justify his extrajudicial killings).
In the course of one of his operations, Arunasalam nabs Ajay Malhotra (Prateik Babbar), the son of Vijay Malhotra (Nawab Shah), a top businessman, who happens to be the chief drug supplier in the city. But when Ajay is eliminated, Hari Chopra (Suniel Shetty), a dreaded gangster who turned the police force into a laughing stock 27 years earlier, returns to the country to settle what has become a personal score by targeting Arunasalam and his daughter Valli (Nivetha Thomas).
Taking his lead from Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta, Murugadoss turns Darbar into a celebration of Rajinikanth, the Superstar. Though he doesn’t turn this film into a greatest hits collection like the former film, Murugadoss exploits the charisma and superstardom of Rajinikanth and gives us a genre film — a cop film — that is a fairly engaging commercial cocktail of action and drama hemmed by uneven writing. The film’s strongest selling point are the father-daughter scenes between Rajinikanth and Nivetha Thomas, whose onscreen camaraderie, makes this relationship endearing. Murugadoss also gives us a truly heartbreaking moment and Nivetha Thomas is fantastic in this portion.
Darbar is also alert to its hero’s age in real life. This is why the romantic track, between Arunasalam and Lily (Nayanthara, in a character that is simply a showpiece), is enjoyable. It is filled with Rajinikanth’s trademark playfulness and Yogi Babu, teaming up with the Superstar for the first time as the comic sidekick, clicks. Even as we marvel at the miraculous youthfulness of Rajinikanth in these portions (a splendid job by the cinematography, makeup and the costume departments), we get a scene where a character remarks at the age difference between the two. The dignified manner in which this scene addresses this issue ensures that fans don’t take it as an insult to their idol. Later, Murugadoss even gets Rajini to remark on his age: “Nambaravanukku vayasu verum number dhaan” (“Age is just a number to one with confidence”).
But while the film has a solid middle section, filled with emotional and whistle-worthy moments, including a training montage where we get to see Rajini flexing his muscles, and a fight sequence set in a railway station (that recalls the climax stunt of Dhool), the first and third acts are underwhelming. While the former feels tentative (this film has the weakest intro scene and song for Rajinikanth in a while), the latter is rushed. The fact that many of the Bollywood actors seem to be speaking in Hindi, leading to lack of lip-sync also alienates us from being immersed in the narrative.
And perhaps because his villainy is often offscreen, Suniel Shetty’s Hari Chopra doesn’t come across as a powerful antagonist despite being built up as one. Yes, he causes numerous casualties, but still, the lack of a solid confrontation scene between him and Arunasalam makes it difficult for us to buy him as a deadly foe. This is why the climax, rather than giving us a high, feels meh. But if this minor disappointment is washed away, it is only because of how Rajinikanth plays this character. While there is the cockiness of Alex Pandian (Murgadoss’s inspiration for this character), there is also vulnerability. And his infectious energy and inimitable style keep us rooting (and hooting) for his character.
Darbar Story: A top cop is tasked with ending the drug menace in Mumbai, and to do this, he has to take on a most feared and ruthless mafia lord.
Darbar Review: In the films of AR Murugadoss, justice isn’t always delivered by upholding the law of the land. Be it in Ramana or Thuppakki or Kaththi, his protagonists have to break law to ensure justice is served. And that is what happens in Darbar, where an angry cop goes on a murderous rampage to take down a most-wanted criminal. Right in the opening scenes, the director establishes that his protagonist Aaditya Arunasalam (Rajinikanth), a top cop who has been deputed to Mumbai to tackle the drug menace in the city, isn’t someone who goes by the rule book. In fact, we see him threatening and roughing up the members of the Human Rights Commission who question him about his rule-breaking (The film tries to project Arunasalam as a mentally disturbed person to justify his extrajudicial killings).
In the course of one of his operations, Arunasalam nabs Ajay Malhotra (Prateik Babbar), the son of Vijay Malhotra (Nawab Shah), a top businessman, who happens to be the chief drug supplier in the city. But when Ajay is eliminated, Hari Chopra (Suniel Shetty), a dreaded gangster who turned the police force into a laughing stock 27 years earlier, returns to the country to settle what has become a personal score by targeting Arunasalam and his daughter Valli (Nivetha Thomas).
Taking his lead from Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta, Murugadoss turns Darbar into a celebration of Rajinikanth, the Superstar. Though he doesn’t turn this film into a greatest hits collection like the former film, Murugadoss exploits the charisma and superstardom of Rajinikanth and gives us a genre film — a cop film — that is a fairly engaging commercial cocktail of action and drama hemmed by uneven writing. The film’s strongest selling point are the father-daughter scenes between Rajinikanth and Nivetha Thomas, whose onscreen camaraderie, makes this relationship endearing. Murugadoss also gives us a truly heartbreaking moment and Nivetha Thomas is fantastic in this portion.
Darbar is also alert to its hero’s age in real life. This is why the romantic track, between Arunasalam and Lily (Nayanthara, in a character that is simply a showpiece), is enjoyable. It is filled with Rajinikanth’s trademark playfulness and Yogi Babu, teaming up with the Superstar for the first time as the comic sidekick, clicks. Even as we marvel at the miraculous youthfulness of Rajinikanth in these portions (a splendid job by the cinematography, makeup and the costume departments), we get a scene where a character remarks at the age difference between the two. The dignified manner in which this scene addresses this issue ensures that fans don’t take it as an insult to their idol. Later, Murugadoss even gets Rajini to remark on his age: “Nambaravanukku vayasu verum number dhaan” (“Age is just a number to one with confidence”).
But while the film has a solid middle section, filled with emotional and whistle-worthy moments, including a training montage where we get to see Rajini flexing his muscles, and a fight sequence set in a railway station (that recalls the climax stunt of Dhool), the first and third acts are underwhelming. While the former feels tentative (this film has the weakest intro scene and song for Rajinikanth in a while), the latter is rushed. The fact that many of the Bollywood actors seem to be speaking in Hindi, leading to lack of lip-sync also alienates us from being immersed in the narrative.
And perhaps because his villainy is often offscreen, Suniel Shetty’s Hari Chopra doesn’t come across as a powerful antagonist despite being built up as one. Yes, he causes numerous casualties, but still, the lack of a solid confrontation scene between him and Arunasalam makes it difficult for us to buy him as a deadly foe. This is why the climax, rather than giving us a high, feels meh. But if this minor disappointment is washed away, it is only because of how Rajinikanth plays this character. While there is the cockiness of Alex Pandian (Murgadoss’s inspiration for this character), there is also vulnerability. And his infectious energy and inimitable style keep us rooting (and hooting) for his character.
Comments
Post a Comment