Darker than superheroes before
Our Hindi-film superheroes have lived in the shadows (of their western counterparts). Caricatures designed to impress children. Bhavesh Joshi is a stomp in the right direction.
He’s darker, more raw and a lot angrier than predecessors like Krrish and the Flying Jatt. As you watch this lonely man struggle to turn grief into a weapon, you realise you’re rooting for him.
Director Vikramaditya Motwane (Udaan, Lootera, Trapped) brings the kind of sincerity we’ve come to expect from him, to this film and this character. A DC-vsMarvel debate between three young Mumbaiites turns into a personal challenge. Bhav- esh Joshi (Priyanshu Painyuli) and Sikander Khanna (Harshvardhan Kapoor) believe the struggle for a better society must start with them.
Rajat (Ashish Verma) says he will stay neutral. Bhavesh and Sikander launch Insaaf TV, a digital platform where they post ‘anti-corruption videos’.
At first, these are mainly stopping people from urinating on the streets or cutting down trees. A run-in with the local water mafia changes their lives and forces them to stop and consider how far they will take their vigilante struggles.
Motwane uses a politically charged and unstable backdrop to represent the dilemmas of our time.
Things escalate quickly, so the film feels well-paced, at least in the first half. There are some well-choreographed action scenes too. Plus, a thrilling background score and soaring cinematography. In a definite masterstroke, he is unarmed. You feel one with him immediately.
Sadly, this is when Motwane decides to pull back. Too human is one thing, but his hero doesn’t seem very effective. The villains appear more comic than menacing. The film begins to feel stretched.
All in all, Motwane has broken new ground. There’s plenty to enjoy in the 155 minutes.