BOTTOM LINE
Routine Gangster Drama With Intriguing Bits
OUR RATING
2/5
PLATFORM
SPARK
What Is the Film About?
As the title suggests, D Company is about the rise of the underworld company with the name headed by Dawood Ibrahim (Ashwat Kanth). The movie focuses on his rise in ranks among the many goons of Mumbai. What his personal life is like and his background are explored.
How Is Ashwat Kanth’s Performance?
Ram Gopal Varma has an uncanny ability to choose actors who are close to the parts they essay. It is more so when the movie involves a real-life figure. Things are no different with D Company, where Ashwat Kanth plays the lead role.
Ashwat Kanth looks the part and fits the bill perfectly for a typical Ram Gopal Varma hero. He has the silent brooding quality and gives long stares with intensity. Whenever the situation arises to be aggressive, he switches the mode and is loud. We see the same quality with many protagonists created by the maverick, and Ashwat Kanth too falls under the same bracket. He does it well, which is all that matters here.
Direction by Ram Gopal Varma?
D Company is the new presentation of Ram Gopal Varma. It is another gangster film from him. However, this time the focus is on Dawood Ibrahim.
First of all, nothing is new in D Company. We have seen similar stories before and also made by RGV, as well. The only significant difference then and now is taking fictional names back then and using real one’s now.
The small ‘change’ does offer some difference, initially. An additional intrigue related to a character and its action is felt when we know who he is in real life. It is almost like a documentary, sometimes, as a result. The background voice-over by RGV adds further to such an impact.
Right from the start, the unknown trivia related to the main characters manages to grab attention. It mostly comes through the voice-over and how it is narrated with deadpan humour (in parts) by RGV.
The actual film and making aren’t that engaging. Instead, they come across as routine content seen across gangster movies. It has to be that way since they are inspired by real-life, and this is a biopic of sorts of real-life characters.
In typical RGV style, you have a neat blend of clean images, a propulsive (and loud) background score and a lot of blood splattering across the screen with implied violence.
Another thing that can’t be missed is the way, Ram Gopal Varma manages to bring Godfather connection to his gangster (or powerful people) subjects. From Gaayam to Sarkar to Rann to Rakta Charitra, and now D Company RGV finds a way to brings elements of the legendary movie into his work.
After all the drama, D Company ends in a way that makes it looks like an origin film. So, we have a movie where Dawood finally emerges as a big force. But, he has still not become the legend we know or has established his empire. It will be all seen in the next chapter.
Overall, if you like gangster drama D Company offers nothing new concerning the story. Its real-life connection with some background details provides some intrigue, and that’s it. Watch it if you are a diehard fan of the genre and the director; otherwise, stay away.
Rudra Kanth and Others?
There are too many characters in the narrative. And they have very few moments to make an impression and leave an impact. Some show the sparks like elder brother role of Dawood; Sabir Khan essayed by Rudra Kanth. He dominates the proceedings for a more significant part of the narrative before Ashwat Kanth takes over.
Rocky Mahajan and the rest are okay in their parts with their b-movie avatars. They all gel well in the overall narrative. The ladies Naina Ganguly and Irra Mor have very little to offer acting-wise, even though their characters give a twist to the story.
Music and Other Departments?
The music by Paul Praveen is alright. It offers few high moments, but on the whole, lacks a remarkable quality to help it stand out and register. It makes it feel like a generic sound. The cinematography by V Malharbhatt Joshi is ordinary, which has been the case for a long time in RGV movies. The images are clean, though, making D Company look passable (to watch) on the small screen. The editing by Pratap Kumar Sanga is okay. However, the writing is below par. The conversations appear so shallow and weak.
Highlights?
Real Life Names Usage
Basic Story
Short Duration
Drawbacks?
Routine Story
Writing
Drags, And Repetitive In Parts
Alternative Take
Less voice-over and narrating the same content cinematically in a way RGV used to do many years before would have made D Company much better than its current form.
Did I Enjoy It?
No, Barring A Few Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Routine Gangster Drama With Intriguing Bits
D Company Movie Review by Siddartha Toleti
