To tell the country’s most revered good vs evil tale, as old as the hills to the contemporary audience, without sounding archaic is no mean task. When the content has generational awareness, novel storytelling can be its only differentiator. Raut goes the Marvel way to draw in the younger crowd as his film rides high on action-adventure over ethos.
The narrative wastes no time in establishing characters or Ram’s aura (Prabhas as Raghav) or what led to his exile (vanvas) from Ayodhya. It focuses on Sita’s (Kriti Sanon as Janaki) treacherous abduction by Ravan (Saif Ali Khan) and the epic Ram vs Ravan battle fought for her rescue. The film pits Ram’s fearless army comprising Lakshman, Hanuman, Sugriv and their vanar sena against the menacing, and towering Ravan and his immortality. The battle scenes recreate the iconic Avengers’ huddle warding off a larger army of Ravan’s CGI rakshasas.
Saif Ali Khan’s invincible Ravan exudes main character energy in this ambitious but stoical retelling of an epic. While Prabhas (voiced brilliantly by Sharad Kelkar) maintains a heroic presence as Ram, it is Saif, with his wicked mannersims and massive height lift that steals the show. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior was testament to his mastery at playing dark and delirious characters and here he raises the bar yet again. The music and background score composed by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara, as well as the songs by Ajay-Atul give a terrific boost to Saif’s monstrous portrayal of Ravan. Adipurush belongs to Saif Ali Khan and Raut succeeds in mounting the character on a massive scale.
The film has a stellar cast that delivers impressive performances. Prabhas looks the part of Raghava and portrays his character with grace and dignity. He conveys the inner turmoil of a man who has to uphold his duty and virtue in the face of adversity. Kriti Sanon is a beautiful and graceful Janaki, who embodies the strength and purity of Sita. She shares a lovely chemistry with Prabhas and their scenes are heartwarming. Saif Ali Khan steals the show as Lankesh, the antagonist of the film. He plays the role with flair and charisma, making him a formidable and complex villain. He invokes fear, hatred and anger in the audience, but also manages to look beastly at times. Sunny Singh is a loyal and brave Shesh, who supports his brother throughout his ordeal. Devdutta Nage is a powerful and playful Bajrang, who adds humor and emotion to the film.
The film has a captivating soundtrack and score composed by Ajay-Atul. The songs are catchy and melodious, blending well with the mood and theme of the film. The background score is epic and grand, enhancing the impact of the scenes.
