BOTTOM LINE
Superficial And Dull Fare
OUR RATING
2/5
CENSOR
‘A’ Certified
What Is the Film About?
Das (Vishwak Sen) inspired by local goons in his area, wants to become a tough guy like them. However, life takes him elsewhere as he plans to settle. What did he do and how it changes his life is what the film is all about?
How Is Vishwaksen’s Performance?
Vishwak Sen plays the lead character besides directing the movie. As an actor, he gives his all, the effort is visible and therein lies the problem. His best shot is not enough as the role requires more depth.
It can be seen in the scenes requiring him to show a confident attitude. The intensity and authoritative nature are missing. It could be given a pass since there are other scenes which need him to be almost like a supporting part. However, the challenge here is to continue to stand out and make a mark even when the weakness is visible. The strength and vigour of the character must be seen from among the crowd. That never happens.
Vishwak Sen shines superficially when it’s his turn and is entirely sidelined when someone else comes around. An imbalance is felt due to the inherent weakness in the act.
Direction by Vishwaksen?
Apart from acting, Vishwak Sen takes the onus of direction on his shoulders. Falaknuma Das is a simple story when we look at it as a whole and analyse. However, its real strength lies in individual characters and flavours of the topography its set in, which is Falaknuma.
A visible effort has been put undoubtedly to relocate the remake and bring in the all-important milieu effect of the original. They have been readjusted point by point, but still, the end product ends up looking like a glossy version and lacks a sense of authenticity. The latter is felt in its writing, which is a significant reason to keep watching the proceedings.
The writing, milieu, actors and performances are all pitch perfect in the first childhood block. It seems like a perfect recreation of the original without losing the essence and also not being disconnected with Telugu cinematic cues. A feeling of instant winner emerges in our minds.
The emotion and warmth are carried subsequently courtesy the writing and scintillating background score. At the same time, one can feel the discomfort creeping in with romance track. It goes nowhere, doesn’t work and only drags the proceedings. The natural flair is missing between the leads. The small moments don’t work.
The drama involving Das and his friends and the conflict introduced with the characters of Ravi and Raj generates some interest. But, the impact of the opening is missing, and it grows with each passing block. Weak actors play a couple of crucial parts, and it further diffuses the tension in the narrative. Some of them are to be taken seriously, but the way things pan out it evokes a silly unintended laugh at the wrong time. The direction is also to be blamed here.
Still, the first half is passable, and one doesn’t mind because there is a definite freshness that can be felt due to the writing. Also, one is still interested to know where the journey of Das is headed after the interval block.
The second half begins interestingly, but with the hero growing weaker and sulking, there is an immediate disconnect. The love story gets worse as the narrative progresses and gets entirely disinteresting by the end. The more critical revenge track turns into an amateur detour, the kind of which we have seen aeons ago in a movie like Sambhavami Yuge Yuge. The editing makes it even more challenging to sit through.
Barring a couple of sequences involving the character of ‘Saidulu’, the second half comes across as a let-down in multiple aspects. The focus naturally shifts to the climax, and unfortunately, it fizzles out big time. The execution and action both are weak.
Overall, Falaknuma Das deserves appreciation for the attempt. The local flavour would be tempting to resist, especially for Hyderabadi’s. But, it is the kind of narrative that is hard to pull off. Despite best efforts from everyone, the remake falls short. In the end, it is just a glossy fare with no real soul. Ultimately it is a test of our patience, and we run out of it and look for a way out.
Heroine and Others?
There are two female leads in the movie Saloni Mishra and Harshita Gaur, and none make any impact despite their importance in the narrative. Not only the writing gets clichéd involving them, but also the acting levels come down drastically when they are on screen.
The real show stealers are the batch around Das played by a combination of a new and old actor like Uttej. The latter gets a rare well defined and crucial role to shine, and he makes the best use of it by standing tall above all. The rest have their moments but are ultimately sidekicks. The actor playing Ravi could have been a show stealer from everyone and hogged the limelight it happened in the original, but he fails to do so. Instead, Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam gives everyone a run for the money with his act. He is sure to meet with cheers for his crowd-pleasing role. We must say it is an inspiring casting choice that pays off.
Music and Other Departments?
The background score by Vivek Sagar is as much a show stopper as are the dialogues. It is fantastic. Vivek Sagar continues to impress musically irrespective of the success or failure of the movie. The cinematography is lively in parts but is weak otherwise. The editing is patchy and slows down the film considerably and critical moments. As mentioned above, the writing is terrific.
Highlights?
Writing
BGM
First Half
Local Flavour
Drawbacks?
Few key Casting Misfires
Parts of the Second Half
Lack of Emotional Connect
Climax
Alternative Take
Check out the original Malayalam movie, the story is the same, but observe the difference in the making and the acting.
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes but with huge reservations.
Will You Recommend It?
Falaknuma Das Review by Siddartha
