Rakhta Charitra Movie Review – Light, Sound and Raw Action!
At the outset, let us tell you two things: Rakhta Charitra is not for the faint hearted. Pregnant women and kids should stay out of it, even while watching the DVD version. The second thing is that this movie is one of the better films of Ram Gopal Varma, the maverick film-maker who is unpredictable as death.
Story of Rakhta Charitra:
The movie screams about the ‘law of jungle’ there is no law, no order; only the strong man wins. It is the true story of Paritala Ravi, one of the most feared gangsters in South India, with more than 54 murder cases on his head. It is a well-known fact that this man was actually a soft-spoken, shy sort of a guy who became a rebel, after his brother and father were killed by anti-social elements. He later went on to become the minister in NT RamaRao’s cabinet. Paritala’s role is reprised by the talented Vivek Oberoi.
In the first half of the movie, we see how Paritala Ravi becomes the most feared criminals. There is nothing but violence, violence and more violence in the first half. Some sanity creeps in the second-half. This is when a legendary actor turned politician (Shatrughan Sinha) enters the scene and takes Paritala Ravi under his wings. The sequences between Shatrughan and Vivek are well handled and are the most interesting parts of the film. After interval, it is more of a power fight rather than brutal killing. Since it is just part 1, Rakhta Charitra ends with Patiala making it is his mission to end Goonda Raj in the state.
What is good about Rakhta Charitra:
If you want a blood spilling, gore fest, then Rakhta Charitra is the right movie for you. The content in the film is also good, better than some of the movies that have come in the last few months. The length of the movie is taut and you get your money’s worth for the time you spend in the theater, and it surely does leave an impact. The movie ends with a promise; Suriya’s character entry at the end does raise curiosity for the second part.
What we really like is Ramu’s ability to surprise us every time. He is truly someone who makes films that he believes in. This movie has none of the trappings of a typical Bollywood fare, there are no good looking faces, no family functions, no smooches, no foreign locations, no romance, no comedy and just one song that does not even seem like one. But yes, it is a rebellious, angry cinema that screams at you.
In some of the scenes, Ramu even brings about his long lost brilliance that he showed in the likes of Satya, Shiva and Company. The cinematography by Amar Rathod and the tight screenplay by Prashant Pandey definitely raise the bar of the film.
What does not work for Rakhta Charitra:
Ramu still has not let gone the bad habits he acquired in his films, post Company – shaky camera angles and the background score and tight close-ups. Other than this sense of déjà-vu, one is happy with this small but impactful film.
Performances in the film:
Vivek Oberoi has come up with a brilliant performance that may even make some of his most accomplished performances in “Company” and “Shoot Out at Lokhandwala” pale. Shatrughan Sinha is a delight to watch and only a veteran like him could play a powerful personality like that of a yesteryear superstar turned minister. But Abhimanyu Singh as the bad-ass villain steals the day, he is so very much evil that you curse him, and that is where he wins.
Apart from these, the other actors pitch in with fantastic performances. Aswini Kalsekar, the diehard cop, Sushant Singh, the naxalite leader and Sudeep at the officer all score. Others like Radhika Apte, Zarina Waahab, Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajendra Gupta, Anupam Shyam, Darshan Jariwala, Sushmita Mukherjee, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Kota Srinivasa Rao are in fine form.
Conclusion:
Rakht Charitra is not for the lily-livered. If you have stomach to take in the brutality, you will find this movie to be your toast. However, compared to the Hindi version, the Telugu and Tamil version will surely do roaring business due to a strong subject identification
Rating:****(Very Good)
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