Much hype has been created around Karan Johar’s Agneepath since the time of its promotion. We went in to see if the multi starrer has anything except for a bunch of good looking lads.
When it comes to remakes the audience goes to the hall with an impressionable mind as the character and the powerful performances of the original brand linger in their minds.
And although the actors act humble by saying that there is no comparison, the comparison starts from the first scene itself, in the eyes of the viewer.
Thus it is always easy to grab the viewer’s attention with a fresh plot; but to work with a plot that has not only been used before but has worked its way through the people’s hearts, is no cake walk.
The challenge with remakes is that you need to convince the audience why they should sit through the same thing again to experience déjà vu after spending their money on an overpriced ticket. Thus the movie should not only be entertaining in its own premise but also stand tall in comparison to the old one.
Thus as one enters the hall, one is bound to think of enthralling Amitabh Bachan on one hand and the other delusive projections of cult movies that one has experienced in the past. The dilemma of what Agneepath would turn out to be lynches you till Dharma Production shows up.
Agneepath is a remake of the 1990 Amitabh Bachan starrer, Agneepath, as we all know it. Both the movies are revenge sagas. The story revolves around Vinod, born to a principled man, Dinanath Chauhan in a small town Mandwa.
Dinanath is brutally put to silence by mafia Kancha and the story revolves around how Vijay Dinanth Chauhan grows in power with the sole purpose to slay Kancha, bring him to justice and save Mandwa, his father’s dream.
The contemporary Agneepath does away with Mithun Chakraborty’s role and brings in Rauf Lala, played by Rishi Kapoor. Every character in the movie stands out against the other in a balanced manner, something almost impossible to achieve in a multi- starrer movie, where everyone is fighting for screen presence.
The lead is obviously taken by Hrithik Roshan. He is simply irresistible in the movie. The most sensible move in terms of characterization of Vinod Dinanath Chauhan is that he hasn’t once attempted to emulate Amitabh Bachan’s style.
Back in the 1990’s Vijay Deenanth Chauhan was portrayed as a swaggering person owing to Amitabh Bachan’s personality but Hrithik has portrayed Vijay as an earthier person, something that jelled well with the movie’s theme. Vijay Deenanath Chauhan came alive with the angry, young, hot man, Hrithik Roshan.
Sanjay Dutt has outperformed himself this time around. Kancha Cheena loses his last name and becomes more audacious. His sadistic laughter gives you the chills and his sheer screen presence makes you want yourself dig in your seat. This role is a bigger landmark than any other negative role he has done in the past.
Rishi Kapoor is a surprise package. He plays Rauf Lala in the movie, a replacement for Mithun Chakraborty’s role. His character rules Mumbai’s underbelly and he is deadly, dangerous but still gullible.
Priyanka Chopra’s character Kaali, seemed to be unnecessarily pushed into the script. She’d either show up with an overflow of emotions or humour the movie could do without.
Though her role was kept short, it wouldn’t have mattered much to the script if her role was completely done away with. But since Agneepath is a Bollywood blockbuster, a movie without a ‘heroine’ and her cleavage revealing blouse to provide support to the breaking hero.
Chickni Chameli is worth a mention. Her unfathomable pelvic thrust step does stand out like a sore thumb throughout the song, but she does look good and wroth a few whistles.
All in all, the movie is bound to evoke a few tears, claps and whistles. The movie’s action and cinematography require a special mention. Action comes out best when blended with strong emotion.
Unlike today’s action movies where only the voice of the punches and slaps has gone beyond the overdone dhishum-dhishum, Agnipath provides you with action that is power pact and goes beyond imbecilic tearing of shirts and flexing of muscles.
The cinematography takes the story telling to another level. The kind of impact that the movie leaves on the audience is majorly because of the way the scene have been shot.
The movie is a wholesome package that leaves the audience satisfied. What was originally produced by Yash Johar has been taken to another level by son Karan Johar. My faith in a Karan Johar movie has been instilled, at least for the time being. In my eyes, it is not to be missed.
Himanshi Chaudhary
